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It was eight weeks ago that the Villa attacker stood on the Stadium of Light pitch, seeming perplexed as his coach admonished him over missing a through-ball. Back then, with the team endured a six-game winless run, it wasn't clear whether his performances were a sign or the source for the side's more general malaise.

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

On Sunday, in contrast, the sideline response was far more favourable. As the in-form star drilled in his brace-sealing goal to reclaim the lead for Villa, the boss ripped off his winter coat, threw his arms wide and shouted in triumph. The team continued to a 10th successive win , despite not winning their opening six games, are somehow a mere three points off pace-setters Arsenal.

Are They Legitimate Title Contenders?

This is an exceptionally difficult question to address. Past precedent, a general sense of this institution, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, they've rarely been completely commanding this season, while the positive results have stacked up.

Per statistical analysis, on just two occasions has the team had an expected goals figure significantly higher than the opposition. For a side which has just won a ten-match winning streak, Villa appear weirdly vulnerable – yet right now the tight outcomes are swinging for them.

The Reliant Strategy

The current approach seems to be to trade blows with an opponent before hoping their star man to save the day with some clinical strikes. This was the case at Leeds, it occurred against West Ham, and again versus Manchester United.

The initial strike came from a superb shot, curled precisely inside the post from a wide position. For his second proved to be a slight scruffier version of his first as he pounced 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.”

Can It Last?

Logic says not. During the latest victory, the opposition managed a greater number of attempts and more efforts on goal. They have secured their last eight victories by just one goal. They’ve conceded in nearly all of those matches.

A reversion to average might be the most significant challenge the club have to face in the near future. The forward, in all likelihood, cannot maintain drilling the football into the top corner week in, week out.

Potential for Growth

Perhaps there is a different scenario where, rather than results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Important figures might still rediscover their best form.

• The centre-forward might resume finding the net regularly.
• The winger might become the force he resembled in Germany.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres will eventually come back from the treatment room, bolstering a periodically leaky defence.

Maybe within that lies the seeds of a genuine bid, yet it seems unlikely can persist in leaning entirely on one man.

Savoring the Moment

But then, nobody expected this. Nobody thought the team would be in a Champions League place in December. And most definitely earlier this season, no one envisioned Rogers now would be leading a title charge and appearing as an essential England player.

This remarkable period is to be savoured exactly since it feels so unlikely. When the hero stood in front of the Villa faithful at the final whistle orchestrating the applause, he appeared 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.