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A mere 60 days ago when the young forward found himself on the Sunderland turf, looking confused while the Villa manager admonished him over failing to anticipate a pass in behind. During that period, with the team endured a six-game winless run, the question was whether his performances were a sign or a cause for the team's wider issues.

“Following Rogers' second strike… Emery discarded his jacket, extended his arms, and let out a triumphant roar.”

On Sunday, though, the manager's outburst was entirely much more joyous. After the England international curled home his second to reinstate Villa's lead, the boss ripped off his coat, threw his arms wide and roared. The Birmingham club continued to a 10th successive win , despite not winning their opening six games, now sit just three points behind table-toppers Arsenal.

Is This Team Serious Hopefuls?

That’s a rather hard question to resolve. The historical record, a general sense of Villa, suggests not. Additionally, they've rarely been entirely convincing this season, while the positive results have piled up.

Per statistical analysis, on just two occasions has the side registered an xG significantly higher than the other team. For a team that have just won 10 in a row, they seem weirdly vulnerable – but at the moment the margins are swinging for them.

The Rogers Recipe

Their recent policy seems to be to trade blows with an opponent before hoping their star man to bail them out with some crisp finishes. It happened at Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and once more when facing Manchester United.

Rogers' first goal stemmed from a brilliant finish, bent precisely inside the goal frame from the edge of the area. For his second was essentially a slight scruffier version of the opener as he pounced 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?

Common sense dictates no. Against United, the opposition managed more shots and more shots on target. The team has triumphed in eight consecutive games by a single goal. The defence has been breached in all except one of those games.

A statistical correction could be the greatest opponent the club will encounter as the season progresses. Rogers, surely, cannot maintain thrashing his shots into the net's top corner forever.

Potential for Growth

Could it be a different scenario whereby, rather than luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs may yet return to peak condition.

• The centre-forward could start scoring again.
• The winger may rediscover the force he was at Borussia Dortmund.
• The injured centre-backs are set to regain fitness, strengthening an occasionally vulnerable defence.

Maybe within that lies the possibility for a sustained push, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on one man.

Enjoying the Ride

Yet, this is a surprise. It seemed improbable Villa would be in the top three for the holidays. And most definitely back in October, few could imagine the young forward by the end of the year would be spearheading a title charge while establishing himself as an essential Three Lions star.

The current run must be cherished precisely because it feels so unlikely. As the hero stood in front of the North End when the game ended leading the celebrations, it was clear to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. These spells are uncommon in the sport and should be relished.