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A mere 60 days in the past that the Villa attacker was standing on the Stadium of Light pitch, seeming perplexed as Unai Emery admonished him for failing to anticipate a pass in behind. At that point, as Villa went six without a win, it wasn't clear whether his performances were a symptom 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, though, the manager's outburst was far more favourable. When the England international drilled in his second strike to reinstate Villa's lead, the Spanish tactician discarded his jacket, opened his arms and shouted in triumph. The team continued to a tenth straight victory and after failing to win their opening six games, are somehow just three points adrift of pace-setters Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Serious Title Contenders?

That’s a rather hard query to resolve. History, the traditional standing of the club, indicates otherwise. Moreover, they've rarely been entirely convincing this season, despite the fact the wins have piled up.

As per Opta, on just two occasions has the team registered an xG more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a club who have just won 10 in a row, the Villans seem curiously susceptible – yet currently the tight outcomes are falling their way.

The Rogers Recipe

Their recent policy seems to be to exchange chances with an opponent and wait for Rogers to bail them out with two precise efforts. This was the case against Leeds, it happened at West Ham, and again against Manchester United.

Rogers' first goal stemmed from an exquisite effort, curled precisely inside the post from the corner of the box. For his second proved to be a slight scruffier version of goal number one as he seized on a pass from Watkins.

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

Is It Sustainable?

Logic says not. Against United, Manchester United had more shots and more efforts on goal. Villa have triumphed in eight consecutive games by just one goal. The defence has been breached in all but one of those games.

Regression to the mean may well be the greatest opponent Villa must confront in the near future. Their key man, surely, cannot maintain thrashing his shots into the net's top corner forever.

A Case for Belief

Could it be a different scenario in which, rather than results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Important figures might still rediscover their best form.

• Ollie Watkins may begin to adding to his goal tally.
• Jadon Sancho could transform into the performer he resembled in Germany.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres will eventually regain fitness, strengthening a periodically leaky defensive unit.

This could contain the potential for a sustained push, however, it is improbable can persist in leaning entirely on a single individual.

Relishing the Unlikely

But then, this was unforeseen. Nobody thought Aston Villa would be in a Champions League place in December. And most definitely two months ago, few could imagine the young forward now would be at the forefront of a championship pursuit while looking like an essential England player.

This remarkable period is to be savoured exactly since it seems so surreal. When the match-winner faced the North End after the match orchestrating the applause, he seemed to be relishing every moment. Which he fully merits. These runs of form are rare in football and ought to be celebrated.