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It was 60 days ago when the Villa attacker found himself on the Stadium of Light pitch, looking confused while the Villa manager admonished him over not reading a through-ball. Back then, as the club failed to win in six, the question was if his displays were an indicator or a cause of the team's wider issues.

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

This weekend, however, the touchline reaction was entirely much more joyous. After the in-form star swept in his second to restore the lead for Villa, the boss discarded his winter coat, opened his arms and roared. The Birmingham club were on their way to a 10th successive win and having failed to win their initial half-dozen fixtures, find themselves only three points adrift of pace-setters Arsenal.

Is This Team Legitimate Title Contenders?

It remains a particularly tough question to address. History, the perceived status of the club, indicates otherwise. Moreover, their performances haven't been entirely convincing this season, despite the fact the wins have accumulated.

As per the data, on just two occasions has the team had an xG more than 0.5 greater than the other team. For a club who have strung together a ten-match winning streak, the Villans look weirdly vulnerable – but at the moment the margins are swinging for them.

The Winning Formula

The prevailing tactic appears to be to exchange chances with the opposition and wait for Rogers to save the day with some crisp finishes. It happened against Leeds, it transpired against West Ham, and once more when facing the Red Devils.

His opener stemmed from a superb shot, curled just inside the upright from the edge of the area. The follow-up goal proved to be a slight scruffier version of the opener capitalizing 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.”

Is It Sustainable?

Reason suggests otherwise. Against United, the opponents managed more efforts and more shots on target. The team has won each of their last eight by the narrowest of margins. The defence has been breached in all except one of those matches.

A statistical correction could be the most significant challenge the club have to face in the near future. Rogers, almost certainly, cannot maintain thrashing the ball past despairing goalkeepers week in, week out.

A Case for Belief

Perhaps there is another reality whereby, instead of results trending towards performances, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Vital cogs might still find their top level.

• The main striker could start adding to his goal tally.
• The attacking talent could transform into the player he was during his peak.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are due to return from injury, strengthening a sometimes shaky defensive unit.

This could contain the possibility of a genuine bid, but they surely can continue to depend solely on one man.

Enjoying the Ride

Yet, this was unforeseen. Few believed the team would sit in a Champions League place in December. And without a doubt back in October, few could imagine the midfielder by the end of the year would be spearheading a title charge while looking like an essential Three Lions star.

This winning streak should be enjoyed precisely because it feels so unlikely. As Rogers positioned himself before the North End at the final whistle conducting the cheers, he seemed to be relishing every moment. A feeling he has rightly earned. These spells are rare in football and must be appreciated.