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It was 60 days ago that the young forward was standing on the Sunderland turf, appearing bewildered while the Villa manager admonished him for not reading a pass in behind. At that point, as Villa went six without a win, it wasn't clear if his performances were a symptom or the reason of Villa's wider issues.

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

On Sunday, however, the manager's outburst was entirely decidedly more positive. As the in-form star curled home his second strike to restore his side's advantage, the boss discarded his winter coat, threw his arms wide and bellowed. Villa were on their way to ten wins in a row , despite not winning their initial half-dozen fixtures, are somehow just three points adrift of table-toppers Arsenal.

Are They Genuine Title Contenders?

This is an exceptionally difficult query to address. The historical record, the traditional standing of the club, suggests not. Furthermore, they have not been entirely convincing this season, despite the fact the victories have accumulated.

Per Opta, on just two occasions has the team registered an expected goals figure significantly higher than the opposition. For a team who have just won a ten-match winning streak, the Villans look strangely fragile – however at the moment the tight outcomes are falling their way.

The Reliant Strategy

The current approach appears to be to trade blows with rivals and wait for their star man to save the day with a couple of clinical strikes. This was the case away to Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and it happened when facing Manchester United.

His opener came from a brilliant finish, curled just inside the post from the edge of the area. For his second was essentially a somewhat messier replica of goal number one capitalizing on a pass from Watkins.

“Rogers’ right foot is now akin to Robben’s legendary left: forewarned does not mean forearmed, and stopping him is another matter entirely.”

Is It Sustainable?

Common sense dictates no. During the latest victory, the opposition registered more shots and more shots on target. The team has secured their last eight victories by a single goal. The defence has been breached in all but one of those games.

Regression to the mean might be the greatest opponent the club must confront as the season progresses. Rogers, in all likelihood, cannot keep on blasting the ball past despairing goalkeepers indefinitely.

A Case for Belief

Maybe there exists an alternative path in which, rather than results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players could still rediscover their best form.

• The centre-forward might resume scoring again.
• The winger may rediscover the performer he showed in Germany.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are set to return from injury, fortifying an occasionally vulnerable backline.

Maybe within that lies the potential of a title challenge, but they surely can continue to depend solely on a single individual.

Relishing the Unlikely

Yet, this was unforeseen. Nobody thought Villa would occupy in a Champions League place in December. And certainly two months ago, no one envisioned Rogers now would be spearheading a championship pursuit while looking like a crucial player for the national team.

This winning streak must be cherished exactly since it seems so surreal. As Rogers positioned himself before the North End when the game ended orchestrating the applause, it was clear to be thoroughly enjoying it. Which he fully merits. These spells are rare in football and should be relished.