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Just 60 days ago when the Villa attacker was standing on the pitch at Sunderland, looking confused while the Villa manager berated him for failing to anticipate a pass in behind. Back then, as Villa went six without a win, the question was if his displays were an indicator or the source of the team's broader struggles.

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

This weekend, in contrast, the sideline response proved to be decidedly more positive. As the in-form star curled home his second strike to reinstate the lead for Villa, the boss ripped off his winter coat, spread his arms and roared. The Birmingham club marched on to a 10th successive win and having failed to win their opening six games, now sit a mere three points behind table-toppers Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Legitimate Title Contenders?

That’s a particularly tough query to address. The historical record, the perceived status of Villa, argues against it. Furthermore, they've rarely been completely commanding during this run, while the victories have piled up.

Per Opta, on just two occasions has the side posted an xG significantly higher than their opponents. For a team which has strung together ten consecutive victories, Villa appear weirdly vulnerable – however at the moment the fine lines are going in their favour.

The Winning Formula

Their recent policy seems to be to engage in a shootout with the opposition and wait for Rogers to bail them out with two clinical strikes. This was the case against Leeds, it happened against West Ham, and it happened versus Manchester United.

The initial strike came from a brilliant finish, bent right inside the goal frame from a wide position. For his second proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of his first capitalizing on a setup by his strike partner.

“Much like Robben with his left, Rogers’ right foot has become a known threat that remains brutally unstoppable, regardless of anticipation.”

Can It Last?

Common sense dictates no. Against United, the opposition registered a greater number of attempts and more shots on target. Villa have won each of their last eight by just one goal. The defence has been breached in nearly all of those fixtures.

A statistical correction may well be the most significant challenge Villa have to face over the coming weeks. The forward, almost certainly, will not continue to thrashing the football into the net's top corner week in, week out.

Potential for Growth

Could it be an alternative path where, instead of results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs may yet rediscover their best form.

• The main striker could start finding the net regularly.
• The winger could transform into the player he was in Germany.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are set to come back from the treatment room, bolstering an occasionally vulnerable defensive unit.

Maybe within that lies the possibility of a genuine bid, however, it is improbable can persist in leaning entirely on one man.

Relishing the Unlikely

However, nobody expected this. It seemed improbable the team would sit in a Champions League place in December. And certainly back in October, nobody thought the young forward as the year closed would be spearheading a title charge while looking like an essential England player.

This winning streak must be cherished for the very reason that it appears so improbable. When Rogers positioned himself before the home supporters after the match conducting the cheers, he appeared to be loving the experience. Which he fully merits. Such periods are uncommon in the sport and should be relished.