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It was eight weeks prior that the Villa attacker found himself on the Stadium of Light pitch, appearing bewildered as the Villa manager admonished him over not reading a pass in behind. Back then, as the club failed to win in six, the question was whether his performances were an indicator 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, however, the sideline response proved to be far more favourable. When the in-form star swept in his brace-sealing goal to reclaim Villa's lead, Emery discarded his winter coat, opened his arms and roared. The Birmingham club continued to ten wins in a row and after failing to win any of their first six games, now sit only three points off pace-setters Arsenal.

Are They Genuine Title Contenders?

This is a rather hard proposition to answer. History, the traditional standing of the club, suggests not. Furthermore, they have not been wholly dominant this season, while the positive results have accumulated.

According to the data, on just two occasions has the side had an xG more than 0.5 greater than the opposition. For a club which has just won 10 in a row, they seem weirdly vulnerable – however currently the margins are going in their favour.

The Rogers Recipe

The current approach seems to be to exchange chances with rivals before hoping their talisman to save the day with two clinical strikes. It happened at Leeds, it happened in London, and once more when facing the Red Devils.

His opener stemmed from a superb shot, curled just inside the upright from the corner of the box. The follow-up goal was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of his first as he pounced on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.

“Rogers’ right foot is now akin to Robben’s legendary left: forewarned does not mean forearmed, and stopping him is another matter entirely.”

Is It Sustainable?

Logic says not. Against United, Manchester United had more efforts and more efforts on goal. They have secured their last eight victories by just one goal. They’ve conceded in all but one of those fixtures.

A statistical correction might be the biggest rival the club will encounter over the coming weeks. Rogers, in all likelihood, cannot maintain blasting his shots past despairing goalkeepers forever.

Potential for Growth

Could it be another reality where, rather than results trending towards performances, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Important figures may yet find their top level.

• The centre-forward might resume adding to his goal tally.
• Jadon Sancho could transform into the performer he was at Borussia Dortmund.
• The defensive duo are due to regain fitness, bolstering an occasionally vulnerable backline.

Maybe within that lies the possibility of a genuine bid, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on one man.

Savoring the Moment

However, nobody expected this. Few believed the team would be in a Champions League place in December. And most definitely back in October, nobody thought the midfielder as the year closed would be leading a championship pursuit while establishing himself as a crucial England player.

This remarkable period is to be savoured precisely because it seems so surreal. When the hero stood in front of the North End when the game ended orchestrating the applause, it was clear to be relishing every moment. A feeling he has rightly earned. These spells are uncommon in the sport and should be relished.