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Just two months prior when the young forward was standing on the Sunderland turf, seeming perplexed while the Villa manager berated him over failing to anticipate a pass in behind. At that point, with the team went six without a win, it wasn't clear whether his displays were a sign or the reason of Villa's broader struggles.

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

On Sunday, though, the touchline reaction was entirely much more joyous. After Rogers swept in his second to reclaim his side's advantage, the boss discarded his coat, opened his arms and roared. The team were on their way to ten wins in a row and after failing to win their initial half-dozen fixtures, find themselves a mere three points adrift of the leaders Arsenal.

Are They Serious Title Contenders?

It remains a particularly tough question to address. History, the perceived status of the club, suggests not. Moreover, they have not been wholly dominant during this run, despite the fact the wins have accumulated.

As per the data, twice all season have Villa registered an xG significantly higher than the opposition. For a team who have strung together ten consecutive victories, Villa look strangely fragile – yet currently the fine lines are going in their favour.

The Reliant Strategy

The current approach looks like to exchange chances with an opponent and wait for Rogers to bail them out with some clinical strikes. This occurred at Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and again when facing Manchester United.

Rogers' first goal stemmed from a brilliant finish, arced right inside the upright from the edge of the area. The follow-up goal proved to be a somewhat messier replica of goal number one as he pounced on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.

“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?

Common sense dictates no. In the recent win, Manchester United registered a greater number of attempts and more shots on target. They have secured their last eight victories by the narrowest of margins. They have allowed goals in all except one of those matches.

A reversion to average may well be the greatest opponent the club must confront over the coming weeks. Rogers, in all likelihood, will not continue to drilling the ball into the net's top corner indefinitely.

Potential for Growth

Maybe there exists another reality whereby, rather than luck running out, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Important figures could still return to peak condition.

• The main striker may begin to scoring again.
• The attacking talent might become the player he showed in Germany.
• The defensive duo are due to return from injury, bolstering a sometimes shaky defensive unit.

Maybe within that lies the possibility of a title challenge, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on one man.

Enjoying the Ride

However, nobody expected this. Few believed the team would occupy in the top three for the holidays. And most definitely two months ago, nobody thought the young forward as the year closed would be spearheading a championship pursuit while looking like an essential player for the national team.

This winning streak is to be savoured exactly since it seems so surreal. When the match-winner faced the Villa faithful after the match leading the celebrations, he seemed to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. These runs of form are rare in football and ought to be celebrated.