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It was eight weeks prior that the Villa attacker found himself on the Stadium of Light pitch, appearing bewildered as his coach admonished him over missing a pass in behind. During that period, with the team endured a six-game winless run, the question was if Rogers' form were a symptom or the reason for Villa's wider issues.

“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”

This weekend, though, the touchline reaction proved to be far more favourable. After Rogers swept in his second strike to reclaim the lead for Villa, the Spanish tactician discarded his jacket, opened his arms and bellowed. Villa were on their way to a tenth straight victory , after failing to win any of their first six games, find themselves just three points adrift of the leaders Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Serious Title Contenders?

It remains a particularly tough question to address. The historical record, the perceived status of this institution, argues against it. Furthermore, their performances haven't been entirely convincing in many games, despite the fact the victories have accumulated.

Per Opta, twice all season has the side posted an expected goals figure significantly higher than the other team. For a side who have just won a ten-match winning streak, they seem weirdly vulnerable – yet currently the tight outcomes are going in their favour.

The Winning Formula

The prevailing tactic seems to be to exchange chances with rivals and wait for their star man to rescue them with some precise efforts. This occurred against Leeds, it transpired in London, and again versus Manchester United.

His opener stemmed from a superb shot, curled just inside the upright from the edge of the area. His brace-completing goal acted as a somewhat messier replica of goal number one as he pounced on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.

“Rogers’ right foot is now akin to Robben’s legendary left: forewarned does not mean forearmed, and stopping him is another matter entirely.”

Can It Last?

Common sense dictates no. Against United, the opponents managed more efforts and more direct attempts. Villa have triumphed in eight consecutive games by just one goal. They have allowed goals in all but one of those fixtures.

Regression to the mean may well be the biggest rival they will encounter over the coming weeks. The forward, in all likelihood, will not continue to blasting the ball past despairing goalkeepers indefinitely.

Reasons for Optimism

Maybe there exists an alternative path in which, rather than luck running out, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Vital cogs could still return to peak condition.

• The centre-forward might resume finding the net regularly.
• The attacking talent might become the player he was during his peak.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres will eventually come back from the treatment room, fortifying a sometimes shaky defence.

Maybe within that lies the possibility of a genuine bid, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on a single individual.

Relishing the Unlikely

However, this is a surprise. It seemed improbable Aston Villa would occupy in a Champions League place in December. And most definitely two months ago, few could imagine Rogers by the end of the year would be leading a championship pursuit while looking like an essential England player.

The current run is to be savoured for the very reason that it appears so improbable. When Rogers faced the home supporters after the match leading the celebrations, he appeared to be loving the experience. A feeling he has rightly earned. These spells do not happen often and ought to be celebrated.