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It was two months prior when the young forward stood on the Stadium of Light pitch, looking confused while his coach berated him for not reading a penetrating pass. During that period, as the club failed to win in six, the question was if his displays were a sign or the reason for the side's broader struggles.

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

On Sunday, though, the sideline response proved to be far more favourable. When the England international curled home his brace-sealing goal to reclaim Villa's lead, the Spanish tactician ripped off his winter coat, opened his arms and shouted in triumph. The Birmingham club continued to a 10th successive win , despite not winning their initial half-dozen matches, are somehow only three points off the leaders Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Genuine Hopefuls?

It remains an exceptionally difficult query to answer. The historical record, a general sense of this institution, indicates otherwise. Additionally, they've rarely been completely commanding in many games, even as the positive results have accumulated.

Per the data, on just two occasions have Villa had an expected goals figure significantly higher than their opponents. For a side which has strung together 10 in a row, Villa appear strangely fragile – yet at the moment the margins are falling their way.

The Winning Formula

Their recent policy looks like to trade blows with rivals before hoping Rogers to bail them out with a couple of clinical strikes. This was the case against Leeds, it transpired against West Ham, and it happened when facing the Red Devils.

His opener stemmed from a superb shot, bent just inside the post from a wide position. The follow-up goal acted as a slightly less clean iteration of the opener as he pounced 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.”

How Long Can This Continue?

Common sense dictates no. In the recent win, the opponents had a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. Villa have won each of their last eight by a single goal. They have allowed goals in all but one of those fixtures.

Regression to the mean may well be the biggest rival the club will encounter as the season progresses. Rogers, surely, cannot maintain blasting the ball into the net's top corner week in, week out.

Reasons for Optimism

Could it be another reality where, rather than results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players could still rediscover their best form.

• The centre-forward might resume scoring again.
• The attacking talent may rediscover the player he showed during his peak.
• The injured centre-backs will eventually come back from the treatment room, strengthening an occasionally vulnerable defensive unit.

Perhaps there is in that the seeds of a title challenge, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on one man.

Relishing the Unlikely

However, nobody expected this. Few believed the team would be in a Champions League place in December. And most definitely two months ago, few could imagine Rogers by the end of the year would be at the forefront of a hunt for the title while establishing himself as a vital Three Lions star.

This winning streak is to be savoured exactly since it appears so improbable. When the hero faced the North End at the final whistle leading the celebrations, he appeared to be loving the experience. Which he fully merits. These spells are rare in football and should be relished.