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A mere 60 days in the past when the Villa attacker stood on the Stadium of Light pitch, seeming perplexed while Unai Emery berated him over not reading a pass in behind. Back then, with the team went six without a win, doubts remained if his displays were a sign or the source of the side's more general malaise.

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

In the latest match, however, the touchline reaction was much more joyous. When Rogers swept in his second strike to restore the lead for Villa, the boss tore off his winter coat, threw his arms wide and roared. The team continued to ten wins in a row and despite not winning any of their first six fixtures, now sit a mere three points off table-toppers Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Genuine Title Contenders?

That’s a rather hard question to resolve. History, a general sense of Villa, argues against it. Furthermore, they've rarely been wholly dominant in many games, even as the wins have stacked up.

As per Opta, in only two games has the side had an xG significantly higher than the opposition. For a team who have strung together 10 in a row, they appear strangely fragile – however right now the fine lines are swinging for them.

The Rogers Recipe

The current approach appears to be to trade blows with the opposition before hoping their talisman to save the day with a couple of crisp finishes. This was the case at Leeds, it transpired at West Ham, and it happened versus the Red Devils.

His opener originated from a brilliant finish, curled right inside the post from the edge of the area. His brace-completing goal acted as a slight scruffier version of goal number one capitalizing 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.”

Is It Sustainable?

Common sense dictates no. In the recent win, Manchester United managed more efforts and more direct attempts. Villa have won each of their last eight by the narrowest of margins. The defence has been breached in nearly all of those games.

Regression to the mean could be the biggest rival they will encounter as the season progresses. The forward, surely, cannot maintain thrashing his shots into the net's top corner forever.

Reasons for Optimism

Could it be another reality whereby, rather than luck running out, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Key players may yet return to peak condition.

• The centre-forward might resume finding the net regularly.
• Jadon Sancho may rediscover the force he resembled at Borussia Dortmund.
• The defensive duo will eventually come back from the treatment room, bolstering a periodically leaky defence.

Maybe within that lies the possibility of a genuine bid, however, it is improbable can continue to depend solely on a single individual.

Relishing the Unlikely

However, nobody expected this. Nobody thought Villa would sit in a Champions League place in December. And certainly two months ago, no one envisioned Rogers by the end of the year would be spearheading a hunt for the title while looking like an essential England player.

This remarkable period should be enjoyed precisely because it appears so improbable. When the match-winner positioned himself before the Villa faithful when the game ended leading the celebrations, it was clear to be thoroughly enjoying it. A feeling he has rightly earned. These runs of form are uncommon in the sport and must be appreciated.