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A mere eight weeks ago that the young forward found himself on the Stadium of Light pitch, appearing bewildered as his coach scolded him for not reading a pass in behind. Back then, with the team failed to win in six, doubts remained if Rogers' form were a sign or a cause for Villa's broader struggles.

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

This weekend, in contrast, the sideline response proved to be far more favourable. As the in-form star drilled in his second to reclaim his side's advantage, Emery tore off his winter coat, spread his arms and bellowed. The team continued to ten wins in a row , despite not winning their initial half-dozen matches, now sit only three points off table-toppers Arsenal.

Is This Team Serious Title Contenders?

It remains a particularly tough proposition to answer. History, the traditional standing of the club, suggests not. Furthermore, their performances haven't been entirely convincing in many games, while the positive results have stacked up.

As per statistical analysis, on just two occasions has the team had an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than the opposition. For a side which has put together ten consecutive victories, they appear weirdly vulnerable – however currently the tight outcomes are swinging for them.

The Winning Formula

Their recent policy appears to be to trade blows with the opposition before hoping Rogers to rescue them with a couple of crisp finishes. This occurred against Leeds, it transpired against West Ham, and it happened when facing Manchester United.

The initial strike came from a superb shot, bent just inside the upright from the corner of the box. For his second acted as a slightly less clean iteration of his first as he pounced on a setup by his strike partner.

“Much like Robben with his left, Rogers’ right foot has become a known threat that remains brutally unstoppable, regardless of anticipation.”

How Long Can This Continue?

Common sense dictates no. During the latest victory, the opponents managed a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. Villa have won each of their last eight by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in all except one of those games.

A statistical correction may well be the greatest opponent the club have to face in the near future. Their key man, almost certainly, cannot keep on thrashing the football into the net's top corner week in, week out.

Potential for Growth

Perhaps there is an alternative path whereby, rather than results trending towards performances, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Key players could still find their top level.

• The main striker could start finding the net regularly.
• The winger could transform into the performer he was in Germany.
• The injured centre-backs are set to come back from the treatment room, strengthening an occasionally vulnerable defensive unit.

Maybe within that lies the seeds of a genuine bid, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on a single individual.

Relishing the Unlikely

But then, nobody expected this. It seemed improbable the team would be third at Christmas. And certainly two months ago, few could imagine the young forward as the year closed would be leading a hunt for the title while looking like a vital Three Lions star.

This remarkable period is to be savoured exactly since it appears so improbable. As the match-winner stood in front of the Villa faithful at the final whistle conducting the cheers, it was clear to be thoroughly enjoying it. Which he fully merits. These spells are rare in football and ought to be celebrated.