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It was 60 days in the past that the Villa attacker found himself on the Stadium of Light pitch, appearing bewildered as his coach berated him for missing a pass in behind. During that period, as the club failed to win in six, the question was whether his displays were an indicator or the reason for the side's wider issues.

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

In the latest match, however, the sideline response proved to be decidedly more positive. After Rogers swept in his brace-sealing goal to reinstate the lead for Villa, Emery tore off his jacket, threw his arms wide and roared. The Birmingham club continued to a tenth straight victory , despite not winning any of their first six games, find themselves a mere three points behind table-toppers Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Legitimate Title Contenders?

That’s a rather hard query to address. History, the traditional standing of this institution, suggests not. Additionally, they've rarely been completely commanding during this run, despite the fact the positive results have piled up.

Per Opta, in only two games has the team had an expected goals figure notably superior than their opponents. For a team who have put together ten consecutive victories, Villa look weirdly vulnerable – however right now the tight outcomes are swinging for them.

The Winning Formula

The prevailing tactic seems to be to exchange chances with an opponent and then rely on Rogers to save the day with some precise efforts. This occurred against Leeds, it transpired at West Ham, and once more against United.

His opener stemmed from an exquisite effort, bent right inside the upright from the edge of the area. For his second proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of his first as he seized 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.”

How Long Can This Continue?

Reason suggests otherwise. In the recent win, the opposition registered more shots and more shots on target. They have triumphed in eight consecutive games by the narrowest of margins. They have allowed goals in nearly all of those fixtures.

A reversion to average could be the most significant challenge Villa have to face as the season progresses. The forward, almost certainly, cannot keep on drilling the ball into the net's top corner indefinitely.

Reasons for Optimism

Perhaps there is another reality where, rather than results trending towards performances, the level of play rises to match the results. Key players may yet return to peak condition.

• The centre-forward may begin to scoring again.
• The attacking talent could transform into the performer he was during his peak.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are due to return from injury, bolstering an occasionally vulnerable defensive unit.

Perhaps there is in that the seeds of a genuine bid, yet it seems unlikely can persist in leaning entirely on a single individual.

Savoring the Moment

However, this was unforeseen. Nobody thought Aston Villa would be third at Christmas. And certainly back in October, few could imagine the midfielder by the end of the year would be leading a title charge while establishing himself as an essential player for the national team.

This remarkable period is to be savoured precisely because it feels so unlikely. When the match-winner faced the Villa faithful when the game ended conducting the cheers, he seemed to be relishing every moment. A feeling he has rightly earned. These spells do not happen often and ought to be celebrated.