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It was eight weeks in the past when the young forward stood on the Sunderland turf, looking confused as the Villa manager admonished him for not reading a through-ball. Back then, as the club failed to win in six, doubts remained whether Rogers' form were a sign or the reason of the side's wider issues.

“When Rogers netted his second… Emery tore off his coat, threw his arms wide, and bellowed in delight.”

On Sunday, though, the manager's outburst was entirely decidedly more positive. As the England international drilled in his second to restore Villa's lead, the Spanish tactician ripped off his winter coat, spread his arms and bellowed. Villa marched on to a 10th successive win , after failing to win their opening six matches, are somehow a mere three points off table-toppers Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Genuine Hopefuls?

That’s a particularly tough question to resolve. History, the traditional standing of the club, argues against it. Furthermore, they've rarely been completely commanding in many games, even as the victories have stacked up.

According to statistical analysis, on just two occasions has the team registered an xG significantly higher than their opponents. For a club who have just won a ten-match winning streak, they look curiously susceptible – but currently the margins are falling their way.

The Winning Formula

The prevailing tactic appears to be to exchange chances with an opponent and then rely on their talisman to rescue them with two clinical strikes. It happened away to Leeds, it happened against West Ham, and once more versus United.

The initial strike originated from a brilliant finish, arced precisely inside the post from the edge of the area. His brace-completing goal acted as a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one as he pounced on a pass from Watkins.

“Perhaps Rogers’ right foot is becoming like Arjen Robben’s left: just because you know he’s going to whip the ball into the top corner doesn’t mean you can stop him.”

How Long Can This Continue?

Common sense dictates no. In the recent win, the opponents managed more efforts and more efforts on goal. They have triumphed in eight consecutive games by just one goal. They’ve conceded in all but one of those fixtures.

A statistical correction could be the greatest opponent Villa have to face over the coming weeks. Rogers, almost certainly, cannot keep on drilling the football into the top corner indefinitely.

Potential for Growth

Maybe there exists a different scenario in which, rather than outcomes regressing to match displays, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Vital cogs might still return to peak condition.

• The main striker may begin to scoring again.
• The winger may rediscover the player he showed in Germany.
• The injured centre-backs will eventually regain fitness, fortifying an occasionally vulnerable defence.

Maybe within that lies the seeds of a title challenge, yet it seems unlikely can persist in leaning entirely on a single individual.

Savoring the Moment

But then, this is a surprise. Nobody thought Villa would occupy third at Christmas. And without a doubt two months ago, no one envisioned Rogers by the end of the year would be spearheading a title charge and appearing as a crucial Three Lions star.

The current run should be enjoyed for the very reason that it feels so unlikely. As the match-winner faced the North End at the final whistle conducting the cheers, he appeared to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. These spells are rare in football and must be appreciated.