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Just eight weeks prior when the Villa attacker was standing on the Sunderland turf, appearing bewildered while his coach berated him over missing a pass in behind. Back then, with the team endured a six-game winless run, doubts remained if his performances were a sign or a cause of Villa's wider issues.

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

In the latest match, though, the manager's outburst was much more joyous. After Rogers curled home his second strike to reinstate his side's advantage, the Spanish tactician discarded his jacket, threw his arms wide and shouted in triumph. Villa were on their way to a tenth straight victory and despite not winning their opening six matches, now sit only three points behind pace-setters Arsenal.

Is This Team Legitimate Title Contenders?

That’s a rather hard query to resolve. History, the traditional standing of the club, suggests not. Additionally, their performances haven't been entirely convincing this season, even as the victories have piled up.

As per the data, on just two occasions has the side had an expected goals figure significantly higher than the opposition. For a club which has strung together ten consecutive victories, Villa seem strangely fragile – however at the moment the fine lines are falling their way.

The Rogers Recipe

The current approach appears to be to exchange chances with rivals before hoping Rogers to bail them out with a couple of clinical strikes. It happened against Leeds, it happened in London, and again against Manchester United.

Rogers' first goal came from an exquisite effort, arced precisely inside the post from the corner of the box. His brace-completing goal was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of his first capitalizing on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.

“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, the opposition managed a greater number of attempts and more shots on target. They have secured their last eight victories by a single goal. They’ve conceded in all except one of those games.

A statistical correction could be the biggest rival they have to face as the season progresses. The forward, in all likelihood, cannot maintain blasting the ball into the net's top corner week in, week out.

Reasons for Optimism

Could it be another reality in which, rather than outcomes regressing to match displays, the level of play rises to match the results. Vital cogs might still find their top level.

• Ollie Watkins may begin to scoring again.
• The attacking talent may rediscover the performer he showed in Germany.
• The defensive duo will eventually regain fitness, strengthening an occasionally vulnerable defence.

Maybe within that lies the possibility for a sustained push, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on a single individual.

Enjoying the Ride

Yet, this is a surprise. Few believed Aston Villa would be third at Christmas. And most definitely earlier this season, no one envisioned Rogers now would be at the forefront of a hunt for the title while looking like an essential England player.

This remarkable period must be cherished precisely because it seems so surreal. When the hero faced the Villa faithful at the final whistle leading the celebrations, he appeared to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. Such periods are rare in football and should be relished.