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A mere 60 days in the past that the Villa attacker stood on the Sunderland turf, seeming perplexed as the Villa manager scolded him for not reading a penetrating pass. Back then, as Villa failed to win in six, doubts remained whether Rogers' form were a sign or a cause for Villa's broader struggles.

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

In the latest match, in contrast, the sideline response was entirely far more favourable. After the England international swept in his second to reinstate his side's advantage, Emery tore off his jacket, threw his arms wide and bellowed. The team were on their way to a 10th successive win and having failed to win their initial half-dozen games, now sit a mere three points behind the leaders Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Legitimate Title Contenders?

It remains an exceptionally difficult question to address. History, the traditional standing of Villa, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, their performances haven't been completely commanding during this run, while the positive results have stacked up.

As per statistical analysis, twice all season has the team had an expected goals figure notably superior than the other team. For a club that have put together ten consecutive victories, Villa seem strangely fragile – yet right now the margins are falling their way.

The Reliant Strategy

The current approach seems to be to exchange chances with rivals and wait for Rogers to bail them out with a couple of precise efforts. It happened at Leeds, it transpired at West Ham, and again versus the Red Devils.

His opener stemmed from an exquisite effort, curled precisely inside the goal frame from the corner of the box. 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.”

Is It Sustainable?

Common sense dictates no. During the latest victory, Manchester United had more efforts 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 reversion to average could be the most significant challenge the club have to face over the coming weeks. The forward, almost certainly, cannot keep on blasting the football into the net's top corner forever.

A Case for Belief

Could it be a different scenario whereby, instead of outcomes regressing to match displays, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players could still find their top level.

• The main striker could start finding the net regularly.
• The winger might become the force he resembled during his peak.
• The injured centre-backs are due to come back from the treatment room, fortifying a sometimes shaky backline.

This could contain the potential of a genuine bid, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on one man.

Savoring the Moment

However, nobody expected this. It seemed improbable Aston Villa would be third at Christmas. And without a doubt earlier this season, few could imagine the midfielder as the year closed would be spearheading a hunt for the title while establishing himself as an essential Three Lions star.

This remarkable period should be enjoyed for the very reason that it appears so improbable. When the match-winner stood in front of the home supporters at the final whistle conducting the cheers, he appeared to be thoroughly enjoying it. A feeling he has rightly earned. These runs of form are uncommon in the sport and must be appreciated.