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A mere two months in the past that the Villa attacker stood on the Stadium of Light pitch, looking confused as Unai Emery scolded him for failing to anticipate a through-ball. During that period, as the club endured a six-game winless run, doubts remained whether his performances were an indicator or a cause for the side's broader struggles.

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

On Sunday, in contrast, the sideline response proved to be much more joyous. After the in-form star drilled in his second strike to reinstate the lead for Villa, Emery discarded his jacket, opened his arms and shouted in triumph. The Birmingham club continued to a tenth straight victory and despite not winning their initial half-dozen games, are somehow just three points off table-toppers Arsenal.

Is This Team Genuine Title Contenders?

That’s an exceptionally difficult query to answer. History, a general sense of Villa, indicates otherwise. Moreover, they've rarely been completely commanding during this run, while the positive results have piled up.

As per statistical analysis, in only two games have Villa had an expected goals figure significantly higher than their opponents. For a club who have strung together ten consecutive victories, Villa seem strangely fragile – but right now the tight outcomes are falling their way.

The Winning Formula

The current approach looks like to trade blows with the opposition and wait for their star man to save the day with a couple of precise efforts. It happened against Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and it happened against the Red Devils.

The initial strike originated from a brilliant finish, curled just inside the upright from the edge of the area. For his second proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of the opener capitalizing 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.”

How Long Can This Continue?

Common sense dictates no. In the recent win, the opponents managed a greater number of attempts and more efforts on goal. They have won each of their last eight by the narrowest of margins. The defence has been breached in all but one of those games.

A reversion to average might be the biggest rival Villa will encounter over the coming weeks. Rogers, almost certainly, cannot maintain blasting the football into the net's top corner forever.

A Case for Belief

Could it be another reality where, instead of results trending towards performances, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Key players may yet return to peak condition.

• Ollie Watkins could start adding to his goal tally.
• Jadon Sancho may rediscover the force he resembled at Borussia Dortmund.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are due to regain fitness, strengthening an occasionally vulnerable backline.

This could contain the potential for a sustained push, but they surely can continue to depend solely on a single individual.

Enjoying the Ride

However, this was unforeseen. Few believed the team would be in the top three for the holidays. And most definitely back in October, few could imagine Rogers now would be spearheading a hunt for the title while establishing himself as a crucial Three Lions star.

This winning streak must be cherished for the very reason that it appears so improbable. As Rogers stood in front of the North End after the match leading the celebrations, he seemed to be loving the experience. Which he fully merits. These spells are uncommon in the sport and ought to be celebrated.