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A mere two months ago that the young forward stood on the Stadium of Light pitch, seeming perplexed while his coach berated him for failing to anticipate a through-ball. During that period, as Villa endured a six-game winless run, it wasn't clear if Rogers' form were a symptom or the reason of Villa's more general malaise.

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

In the latest match, though, the manager's outburst proved to be much more joyous. When the in-form star swept in his brace-sealing goal to reinstate the lead for Villa, the Spanish tactician ripped off his winter coat, opened his arms and roared. The team marched on to a 10th successive win , despite not winning their opening six matches, now sit only three points adrift of pace-setters Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Serious Challengers?

This is a particularly tough query to address. The historical record, the perceived status of the club, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, they have not been entirely convincing during this run, despite the fact the positive results have accumulated.

Per statistical analysis, in only two games has the team registered an xG significantly higher than their opponents. For a team which has just won ten consecutive victories, the Villans seem curiously susceptible – yet right now the margins are going in their favour.

The Rogers Recipe

Their recent policy seems to be to trade blows with rivals and then rely on their talisman to save the day with a couple of clinical strikes. It happened against Leeds, it happened at West Ham, and again when facing United.

Rogers' first goal originated from an exquisite effort, curled just inside the upright from the corner of the box. For his second proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of his first as he pounced 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. In the recent win, Manchester United had a greater number of attempts and more efforts on goal. They have won each of their last eight by just one goal. They’ve conceded in nearly all of those fixtures.

A statistical correction might be the greatest opponent they must confront over the coming weeks. The forward, almost certainly, will not continue to blasting the ball into the net's top corner forever.

Reasons for Optimism

Perhaps there is another reality whereby, instead of results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players could still rediscover their best form.

• Ollie Watkins may begin to finding the net regularly.
• Jadon Sancho could transform into the player he was at Borussia Dortmund.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are due to return from injury, strengthening a sometimes shaky defensive unit.

This could contain the possibility of a title challenge, however, it is improbable cannot keep relying on one man.

Relishing the Unlikely

Yet, nobody expected this. Nobody thought the team would occupy third at Christmas. And most definitely earlier this season, few could imagine the midfielder now would be leading a championship pursuit while looking like a crucial England player.

This winning streak must be cherished precisely because it appears so improbable. When the hero positioned himself before the home supporters after the match conducting the cheers, he appeared to be relishing every moment. A feeling he has rightly earned. These spells are rare in football and must be appreciated.