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It was two months in the past that the Villa attacker was standing on the Sunderland turf, appearing bewildered as his coach berated him for not reading a pass in behind. At that point, with the team failed to win in six, the question was if his performances were an indicator or a cause of the side's more general malaise.

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

In the latest match, though, the touchline reaction proved to be decidedly more positive. When the in-form star swept in his second to restore his side's advantage, the boss ripped off his coat, threw his arms wide and shouted in triumph. Villa were on their way to a tenth straight victory , having failed to win any of their first six fixtures, are somehow only three points off table-toppers Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Legitimate Title Contenders?

It remains a rather hard proposition to answer. The historical record, a general sense of this institution, argues against it. Moreover, they have not been completely commanding this season, despite the fact the wins have accumulated.

As per the data, in only two games has the side posted an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than the opposition. For a team who have just won ten consecutive victories, the Villans seem curiously susceptible – but currently the margins are going in their favour.

The Rogers Recipe

The current approach looks like to exchange chances with an opponent before hoping their star man to save the day with some precise efforts. This occurred at Leeds, it transpired against West Ham, and again against United.

The initial strike came from an exquisite effort, bent right inside the goal frame from the corner of the box. His brace-completing goal acted as a somewhat messier replica of his first 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.”

Is It Sustainable?

Logic says not. In the recent win, the opponents had more shots and more efforts on goal. They have triumphed in eight consecutive games by a single goal. The defence has been breached in all but one of those games.

A statistical correction could be the biggest rival the club will encounter in the near future. Their key man, surely, will not continue to drilling the football past despairing goalkeepers indefinitely.

Reasons for Optimism

Maybe there exists a different scenario whereby, rather than outcomes regressing to match displays, the level of play rises to match the results. Vital cogs could still find their top level.

• The main striker might resume adding to his goal tally.
• The winger may rediscover the player he was during his peak.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are due to regain fitness, strengthening an occasionally vulnerable backline.

Perhaps there is in that the seeds of a genuine bid, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on a single individual.

Savoring the Moment

However, this was unforeseen. It seemed improbable Aston Villa would be in a Champions League place in December. And without a doubt back in October, no one envisioned the young forward by the end of the year would be spearheading a championship pursuit while looking like a vital player for the national team.

This remarkable period should be enjoyed precisely because it seems so surreal. As Rogers stood in front of the Villa faithful after the match leading the celebrations, he appeared to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. Such periods do not happen often and should be relished.