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Just two months in the past when the Villa attacker found himself on the Stadium of Light pitch, looking confused while his coach berated him for failing to anticipate a through-ball. During that period, as the club endured a six-game winless run, the question was whether his displays were a sign or the source of Villa's wider issues.

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

On Sunday, in contrast, the touchline reaction was decidedly more positive. After Rogers drilled in his second to reinstate his side's advantage, the boss tore off his coat, opened his arms and roared. Villa marched on to ten wins in a row and despite not winning any of their first six fixtures, now sit just three points adrift of pace-setters Arsenal.

Are They Genuine Challengers?

It remains a particularly tough proposition to address. Past precedent, a general sense of the club, indicates otherwise. Additionally, their performances haven't been entirely convincing in many games, even as the positive results have piled up.

According to statistical analysis, twice all season have Villa posted an xG more than 0.5 greater than the other team. For a team who have strung together a ten-match winning streak, the Villans seem curiously susceptible – but currently the tight outcomes are falling their way.

The Rogers Recipe

The prevailing tactic appears to be to trade blows with an opponent and then rely on their talisman to bail them out with a couple of precise efforts. This was the case away to Leeds, it occurred against West Ham, and again against United.

His opener stemmed from a superb shot, arced just inside the upright from a wide position. His brace-completing goal proved to be a somewhat messier replica of the opener as he seized on a setup by his strike partner.

“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?

Common sense dictates no. In the recent win, the opposition had more shots and more direct attempts. They have triumphed in eight consecutive games by just one goal. They’ve conceded in all but one of those fixtures.

A statistical correction may well be the most significant challenge they will encounter over the coming weeks. Rogers, in all likelihood, cannot maintain thrashing the football past despairing goalkeepers forever.

Reasons for Optimism

Maybe there exists a different scenario whereby, instead of results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players may yet rediscover their best form.

• Ollie Watkins could start finding the net regularly.
• Jadon Sancho might become the performer he resembled at Borussia Dortmund.
• The defensive duo are due to return from injury, fortifying a periodically leaky defensive unit.

Perhaps there is in that the seeds of a title challenge, but they surely cannot keep relying on a single individual.

Relishing the Unlikely

However, nobody expected this. It seemed improbable Villa would occupy in the top three for the holidays. And most definitely two months ago, nobody thought the young forward by the end of the year would be leading a championship pursuit while looking like a vital Three Lions star.

This remarkable period must be cherished exactly since it seems so surreal. As the hero positioned himself before the North End at the final whistle orchestrating the applause, he seemed to be thoroughly enjoying it. As he deserves to. These spells are rare in football and must be appreciated.