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It was 60 days prior when the Villa attacker was standing on the pitch at Sunderland, seeming perplexed as the Villa manager berated him for not reading a penetrating pass. Back then, as Villa went six without a win, the question was whether his displays were a symptom or a cause for the team's more general malaise.

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

On Sunday, in contrast, the sideline response was decidedly more positive. When Rogers swept in his second strike to reinstate his side's advantage, the Spanish tactician ripped off his coat, spread his arms and bellowed. Villa marched on to a 10th successive win , having failed to win their initial half-dozen fixtures, find themselves just three points behind the leaders Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Genuine Challengers?

This is a rather hard question to resolve. The historical record, the traditional standing of this institution, suggests not. Moreover, they've rarely been completely commanding in many games, while the wins have stacked up.

As per statistical analysis, on just two occasions have Villa had an xG notably superior than their opponents. For a team which has put together 10 in a row, Villa seem weirdly vulnerable – however at the moment the tight outcomes are going in their favour.

The Rogers Recipe

The prevailing tactic seems to be to trade blows with rivals before hoping Rogers to bail them out with a couple of clinical strikes. It happened against Leeds, it transpired in London, and once more against Manchester United.

Rogers' first goal came from a brilliant finish, arced right inside the goal frame from a wide position. His brace-completing goal acted as a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one as he seized on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.

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

Can It Last?

Reason suggests otherwise. During the latest victory, the opponents registered more efforts and more shots on target. The team has triumphed in eight consecutive games by just one goal. The defence has been breached in all except one of those fixtures.

A reversion to average may well be the biggest rival they will encounter as the season progresses. Their key man, almost certainly, cannot maintain thrashing his shots into the net's top corner week in, week out.

Reasons for Optimism

Perhaps there is an alternative path whereby, instead of outcomes regressing to match displays, the level of play rises to match the results. Vital cogs may yet find their top level.

• The centre-forward may begin to finding the net regularly.
• The attacking talent might become the player he showed during his peak.
• The injured centre-backs will eventually come back from the treatment room, bolstering a periodically leaky defence.

Perhaps there is in that the possibility for a sustained push, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on one man.

Savoring the Moment

But then, nobody expected this. Few believed Villa would sit in a Champions League place in December. And certainly earlier this season, nobody thought the midfielder now would be leading a championship pursuit and appearing as a vital player for the national team.

This remarkable period is to be savoured exactly since it appears so improbable. When the hero faced the North End when the game ended leading the celebrations, it was clear to be loving the experience. A feeling he has rightly earned. These runs of form are uncommon in the sport and ought to be celebrated.