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It was two months prior that the young forward found himself on the pitch at Sunderland, looking confused as Unai Emery berated him for not reading a penetrating pass. During that period, as Villa endured a six-game winless run, it wasn't clear whether his performances were an indicator or a cause 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 sideline response was decidedly more positive. After the England international drilled in his second to restore the lead for Villa, Emery ripped off his winter coat, threw his arms wide and bellowed. Villa continued to ten wins in a row , despite not winning their opening six fixtures, now sit just three points behind table-toppers Arsenal.

Are They Legitimate Title Contenders?

It remains a particularly tough question to resolve. History, a general sense of this institution, argues against it. Additionally, they've rarely been wholly dominant this season, despite the fact the victories have accumulated.

According to Opta, twice all season has the side registered an expected goals figure significantly higher than their opponents. For a side who have put together a ten-match winning streak, Villa appear weirdly vulnerable – however currently the margins are falling their way.

The Winning Formula

The prevailing tactic appears to be to trade blows with the opposition before hoping their talisman to rescue them with some crisp finishes. This occurred away to Leeds, it transpired in London, and it happened against United.

The initial strike originated from a superb shot, arced just inside the upright from a wide position. For his second proved to be a somewhat messier replica of goal number one capitalizing on a setup by his strike partner.

“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?

Reason suggests otherwise. In the recent win, the opponents managed a greater number of attempts and more efforts on goal. The team has triumphed in eight consecutive games by the narrowest of margins. They have allowed goals in all except one of those games.

Regression to the mean may well be the most significant challenge they have to face in the near future. Their key man, almost certainly, cannot keep on thrashing his shots into the net's top corner week in, week out.

A Case for Belief

Maybe there exists an alternative path whereby, instead of results trending towards performances, the level of play rises to match the results. Vital cogs may yet rediscover their best form.

• The centre-forward may begin to scoring again.
• The winger may rediscover the performer he showed during his peak.
• The injured centre-backs will eventually return from injury, fortifying a periodically leaky defence.

Perhaps there is in that the seeds for a sustained push, but they surely cannot keep relying on a single individual.

Enjoying the Ride

But then, this was unforeseen. Few believed the team would sit in the top three for the holidays. And certainly back in October, few could imagine the midfielder by the end of the year would be at the forefront of a hunt for the title while establishing himself as a crucial England player.

This winning streak should be enjoyed precisely because it feels so unlikely. As Rogers positioned himself before the North End after the match orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be loving the experience. Which he fully merits. These runs of form are uncommon in the sport and must be appreciated.