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Just eight weeks ago that the Villa attacker stood on the Sunderland turf, seeming perplexed as Unai Emery admonished him over missing a pass in behind. During that period, with the team endured a six-game winless run, it wasn't clear if Rogers' form were a sign or the reason for Villa's wider issues.

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

In the latest match, however, the manager's outburst was entirely much more joyous. When the England international drilled in his second strike to reclaim Villa's lead, the Spanish tactician ripped off his coat, spread his arms and roared. The team marched on to ten wins in a row , having failed to win their opening six matches, find themselves a mere three points behind pace-setters Arsenal.

Are They Serious Title Contenders?

This is a rather hard question to address. Past precedent, the traditional standing of the club, indicates otherwise. Moreover, they've rarely been completely commanding this season, while the positive results have piled up.

As per statistical analysis, twice all season has the team registered an xG significantly higher than their opponents. For a club which has put together a ten-match winning streak, they seem weirdly vulnerable – but right now the margins are swinging for them.

The Rogers Recipe

The prevailing tactic seems to be to engage in a shootout with the opposition and then rely on their talisman to bail them out with two clinical strikes. This was the case away to Leeds, it transpired against West Ham, and once more versus Manchester United.

His opener originated from an exquisite effort, bent right inside the upright from a wide position. His brace-completing goal proved to be 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?

Reason suggests otherwise. In the recent win, the opponents registered a greater number of attempts and more shots on target. Villa have won each of their last eight by a single goal. The defence has been breached in nearly all of those games.

A statistical correction could be the greatest opponent Villa must confront in the near future. The forward, almost certainly, cannot maintain drilling the football into the net's top corner forever.

Reasons for Optimism

Maybe there exists a different scenario in which, rather than outcomes regressing to match displays, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Important figures could still rediscover their best form.

• Ollie Watkins may begin to finding the net regularly.
• The winger might become the force he showed at Borussia Dortmund.
• The defensive duo are set to return from injury, bolstering a periodically leaky backline.

Perhaps there is in that the seeds of a title challenge, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on one man.

Relishing the Unlikely

But then, this is a surprise. Nobody thought Aston Villa would be in the top three for the holidays. And without a doubt back in October, no one envisioned the midfielder now would be leading a hunt for the title while establishing himself as a crucial Three Lions star.

This remarkable period is to be savoured for the very reason that it feels so unlikely. As the hero stood in front of the Villa faithful when the game ended orchestrating the applause, he seemed to be thoroughly enjoying it. A feeling he has rightly earned. These spells are rare in football and should be relished.