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Just two months ago when the Villa attacker found himself on the Sunderland turf, seeming perplexed as the Villa manager scolded him for not reading a penetrating pass. During that period, as the club endured a six-game winless run, doubts remained whether his displays were a symptom or the source for the side's wider issues.

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

This weekend, in contrast, the manager's outburst was entirely decidedly more positive. After Rogers swept in his second strike to reinstate his side's advantage, the boss discarded his winter coat, spread his arms and shouted in triumph. The team were on their way to a 10th successive win and having failed to win any of their first six matches, now sit just three points behind pace-setters Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Legitimate Challengers?

This is a rather hard query to resolve. The historical record, a general sense of Villa, argues against it. Moreover, they have not been wholly dominant during this run, even as the positive results have piled up.

As per statistical analysis, twice all season has the side posted an expected goals figure significantly higher than their opponents. For a team which has put together 10 in a row, Villa appear strangely fragile – but currently the margins are swinging for them.

The Winning Formula

The current approach seems to be to engage in a shootout with the opposition and then rely on Rogers to save the day with two clinical strikes. It happened against Leeds, it transpired against West Ham, and it happened when facing Manchester United.

The initial strike originated from a brilliant finish, curled precisely inside the upright from the corner of the box. His brace-completing goal acted as a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one as he pounced on a setup by his strike partner.

“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.”

Can It Last?

Reason suggests otherwise. Against United, the opposition managed a greater number of attempts and more efforts on goal. The team has triumphed in eight consecutive games by just one goal. The defence has been breached in all except one of those games.

A reversion to average may well be the biggest rival they will encounter over the coming weeks. Their key man, in all likelihood, will not continue to blasting the football into the net's top corner indefinitely.

A Case for Belief

Maybe there exists a different scenario where, rather than luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players could still rediscover their best form.

• The centre-forward could start finding the net regularly.
• The attacking talent may rediscover the player he was during his peak.
• The injured centre-backs are set to regain fitness, strengthening an occasionally vulnerable backline.

Maybe within that lies the potential of a genuine bid, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on a single individual.

Enjoying the Ride

Yet, nobody expected this. Few believed Aston Villa would occupy in the top three for the holidays. And without a doubt earlier this season, nobody thought the young forward now would be leading a hunt for the title while looking like a vital player for the national team.

This winning streak is to be savoured exactly since it feels so unlikely. When the match-winner stood in front of the home supporters after the match conducting the cheers, he appeared to be relishing every moment. A feeling he has rightly earned. These runs of form are uncommon in the sport and should be relished.