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It was 60 days prior when the Villa attacker found himself on the Stadium of Light pitch, looking confused while his coach scolded him over missing a penetrating pass. Back then, with the team failed to win in six, the question was whether his displays were an indicator or a cause for Villa's more general malaise.

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

On Sunday, in contrast, the manager's outburst proved to be much more joyous. After the in-form star swept in his second to reinstate his side's advantage, the boss ripped off his winter coat, spread his arms and shouted in triumph. The Birmingham club were on their way to a tenth straight victory and despite not winning any of their first six fixtures, are somehow a mere three points adrift of pace-setters Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Genuine Title Contenders?

This is an exceptionally difficult question to resolve. The historical record, the traditional standing of Villa, indicates otherwise. Additionally, they have not been entirely convincing during this run, while the wins have stacked up.

According to Opta, twice all season has the side had an expected goals figure significantly higher than their opponents. For a side that have strung together 10 in a row, they appear strangely fragile – but currently the fine lines are swinging for them.

The Rogers Recipe

The prevailing tactic looks like to exchange chances with the opposition and then rely on Rogers to save the day with two crisp finishes. This occurred away to Leeds, it happened against West Ham, and once more against the Red Devils.

Rogers' first goal stemmed from an exquisite effort, curled right inside the post from the corner of the box. The follow-up goal acted as a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one 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.”

How Long Can This Continue?

Logic says not. In the recent win, the opponents managed more efforts and more direct attempts. The team has triumphed in eight consecutive games by just one goal. They have allowed goals in nearly all of those games.

A statistical correction could be the most significant challenge Villa will encounter as the season progresses. Rogers, in all likelihood, cannot maintain thrashing his shots into the top corner indefinitely.

A Case for Belief

Perhaps there is another reality where, rather than luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players could still find their top level.

• Ollie Watkins may begin to adding to his goal tally.
• The attacking talent might become the player he showed in Germany.
• The defensive duo are set to return from injury, strengthening a sometimes shaky defence.

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

Enjoying the Ride

Yet, nobody expected this. Nobody thought the team would occupy third at Christmas. And most definitely earlier this season, few could imagine the young forward now would be spearheading a title charge and appearing as a crucial England player.

This remarkable period must be cherished for the very reason that it seems so surreal. As the hero faced the North End at the final whistle leading the celebrations, he seemed to be thoroughly enjoying it. Which he fully merits. Such periods are uncommon in the sport and must be appreciated.