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It was two months prior when the young forward was standing on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered while the Villa manager berated him over missing a pass in behind. During that period, as Villa went six without a win, the question was if his performances were a sign or the reason of the side's more general malaise.

“Following Rogers' second strike… Emery discarded his jacket, extended his arms, and let out a triumphant roar.”

On Sunday, however, the manager's outburst proved to be decidedly more positive. After Rogers curled home his brace-sealing goal to reinstate the lead for Villa, Emery tore off his coat, spread his arms and roared. Villa were on their way to a 10th successive win , despite not winning any of their first six fixtures, are somehow a mere three points off table-toppers Arsenal.

Are They Serious Title Contenders?

It remains an exceptionally difficult query to resolve. History, the traditional standing of the club, suggests not. Furthermore, their performances haven't been completely commanding in many games, while the wins have stacked up.

Per Opta, in only two games have Villa registered an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a team who have strung together a ten-match winning streak, Villa appear strangely fragile – yet right now the margins are falling their way.

The Reliant Strategy

Their recent policy looks like to exchange chances with the opposition and then rely on their star man to save the day with two clinical strikes. This was the case at Leeds, it happened in London, and again versus United.

Rogers' first goal originated from an exquisite effort, curled right inside the upright from the corner of the box. For his second was essentially a somewhat messier replica of the opener as he seized on a pass from Watkins.

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

How Long Can This Continue?

Common sense dictates no. Against United, Manchester United registered a greater number of attempts and more efforts on goal. Villa have triumphed in eight consecutive games by a single goal. The defence has been breached in nearly all of those games.

A reversion to average could be the greatest opponent they will encounter over the coming weeks. Rogers, surely, cannot maintain blasting the football past despairing goalkeepers forever.

Potential for Growth

Maybe there exists an alternative path whereby, instead of results trending towards performances, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Key players could still return to peak condition.

• The centre-forward might resume scoring again.
• The winger could transform into the performer he resembled at Borussia Dortmund.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are due to come back from the treatment room, fortifying a sometimes shaky defence.

Maybe within that lies the seeds of a genuine bid, yet it seems unlikely can persist in leaning entirely on one man.

Enjoying the Ride

Yet, this is a surprise. Few believed Villa would occupy in a Champions League place in December. And most definitely two months ago, few could imagine the young forward now would be spearheading a championship pursuit while looking like an essential England player.

The current run must be cherished exactly since it feels so unlikely. When Rogers faced the home supporters when the game ended orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be thoroughly enjoying it. As he deserves to. These runs of form are rare in football and ought to be celebrated.