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Just 60 days in the past that the Villa attacker was standing on the pitch at Sunderland, seeming perplexed while his coach berated him over failing to anticipate a penetrating pass. Back then, as the club endured a six-game winless run, the question was if Rogers' form were a symptom or the reason of Villa's more general malaise.

“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 entirely much more joyous. As the England international swept in his second to restore the lead for Villa, the boss discarded his winter coat, opened his arms and roared. The Birmingham club continued to ten wins in a row , after failing to win their opening six games, find themselves only three points adrift of table-toppers Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Legitimate Title Contenders?

That’s a particularly tough question to resolve. Past precedent, the traditional standing of Villa, indicates otherwise. Moreover, they have not been wholly dominant during this run, despite the fact the positive results have piled up.

According to statistical analysis, twice all season has the team registered an xG significantly higher than the opposition. For a team which has strung together ten consecutive victories, Villa appear weirdly vulnerable – however at the moment the tight outcomes are going in their favour.

The Winning Formula

The prevailing tactic appears to be to trade blows with the opposition and then rely on their talisman to save the day with a couple of crisp finishes. This occurred away to Leeds, it transpired against West Ham, and it happened against Manchester United.

His opener stemmed from a brilliant finish, bent right inside the upright from a wide position. His brace-completing goal was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of his first as he pounced 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?

Logic says not. During the latest victory, Manchester United had a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. The team has secured their last eight victories by the narrowest of margins. The defence has been breached in all but one of those fixtures.

A reversion to average may well be the greatest opponent Villa will encounter in the near future. Their key man, in all likelihood, will not continue to drilling the football into the net's top corner indefinitely.

Potential for Growth

Maybe there exists an alternative path where, instead of results trending towards performances, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Key players could still rediscover their best form.

• The main striker could start scoring again.
• The winger could transform into the force he resembled in Germany.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are due to regain fitness, fortifying a sometimes shaky backline.

Perhaps there is in that the seeds of a title challenge, but they surely can continue to depend solely on one man.

Relishing the Unlikely

However, nobody expected this. Nobody thought Villa would sit in a Champions League place in December. And most definitely earlier this season, nobody thought Rogers as the year closed would be leading a championship pursuit while looking like a vital England player.

This remarkable period is to be savoured exactly since it feels so unlikely. When the match-winner faced the Villa faithful at the final whistle leading the celebrations, he appeared to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. Such periods are uncommon in the sport and must be appreciated.