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Just 60 days in the past when the young forward stood on the Stadium of Light pitch, appearing bewildered while his coach admonished him over missing a penetrating pass. During that period, as the club failed to win in six, the question was if his performances were a sign or the reason of Villa's wider issues.

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

This weekend, in contrast, the touchline reaction was entirely far more favourable. After the England international drilled in his second strike to reclaim his side's advantage, the boss discarded his winter coat, threw his arms wide and roared. Villa were on their way to a tenth straight victory , after failing to win their initial half-dozen matches, are somehow a mere three points behind table-toppers Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Serious Title Contenders?

This is a particularly tough question to address. Past precedent, a general sense of Villa, suggests not. Furthermore, their performances haven't been wholly dominant during this run, even as the positive results have stacked up.

Per Opta, on just two occasions has the side had an xG notably superior than the opposition. For a side who have just won a ten-match winning streak, Villa seem curiously susceptible – yet currently the margins are going in their favour.

The Rogers Recipe

Their recent policy seems to be to engage in a shootout with the opposition and wait for their talisman to bail them out with two clinical strikes. It happened against Leeds, it transpired at West Ham, and it happened against the Red Devils.

The initial strike originated from a brilliant finish, curled right inside the upright from the edge of the area. The follow-up goal proved to be a somewhat messier replica of his first capitalizing on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.

“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?

Logic says not. In the recent win, the opposition managed more shots and more shots on target. The team has won each of their last eight by the narrowest of margins. The defence has been breached in all but one of those games.

Regression to the mean might be the most significant challenge they have to face in the near future. The forward, surely, cannot maintain thrashing his shots past despairing goalkeepers indefinitely.

A Case for Belief

Could it be an alternative path where, rather than luck running out, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Key players might still return to peak condition.

• The centre-forward might resume scoring again.
• Jadon Sancho may rediscover the force he resembled during his peak.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres will eventually return from injury, strengthening a periodically leaky defensive unit.

Maybe within that lies the possibility for a sustained push, but they surely cannot keep relying on a single individual.

Savoring the Moment

Yet, this was unforeseen. It seemed improbable Villa would sit third at Christmas. And certainly earlier this season, few could imagine Rogers as the year closed would be at the forefront of a hunt for the title and appearing as a vital player for the national team.

This winning streak is to be savoured exactly since it appears so improbable. When Rogers faced the North End when the game ended orchestrating the applause, it was clear to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. These spells are rare in football and must be appreciated.