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It was eight weeks ago that the Villa attacker stood on the pitch at Sunderland, looking confused while the Villa manager berated him over failing to anticipate a pass in behind. At that point, with the team endured a six-game winless run, the question was if Rogers' form were a sign or the source for the side's broader struggles.

“When Rogers netted his second… Emery tore off his coat, threw his arms wide, and bellowed in delight.”

In the latest match, in contrast, the touchline reaction was entirely decidedly more positive. After the England international curled home his second to reclaim the lead for Villa, Emery tore off his winter coat, threw his arms wide and bellowed. The Birmingham club marched on to a 10th successive win and having failed to win their initial half-dozen fixtures, are somehow a mere three points behind pace-setters Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Genuine Hopefuls?

It remains a rather hard proposition to address. The historical record, the perceived status of the club, argues against it. Additionally, their performances haven't been completely commanding in many games, while the positive results have stacked up.

As per the data, on just two occasions has the team had an expected goals figure notably superior than the other team. For a team that have strung together a ten-match winning streak, the Villans seem strangely fragile – yet at the moment the margins are going in their favour.

The Rogers Recipe

The prevailing tactic seems to be to engage in a shootout with an opponent and then rely on their star man to rescue them with some crisp finishes. This occurred away to Leeds, it transpired against West Ham, and once more against the Red Devils.

Rogers' first goal came from an exquisite effort, arced just inside the post from the corner of the box. His brace-completing goal was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of his first capitalizing 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.”

Can It Last?

Logic says not. During the latest victory, Manchester United managed more efforts and more efforts on goal. The team has secured their last eight victories by a single goal. They’ve conceded in all except one of those matches.

A reversion to average could be the greatest opponent they have to face in the near future. The forward, in all likelihood, cannot maintain drilling his shots into the net's top corner forever.

Potential for Growth

Could it be an alternative path in which, instead of results trending towards performances, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Key players may yet rediscover their best form.

• The main striker could start scoring again.
• The winger might become the player he showed during his peak.
• The injured centre-backs will eventually come back from the treatment room, bolstering an occasionally vulnerable backline.

Perhaps there is in that the seeds for a sustained push, however, it is improbable can persist in leaning entirely on a single individual.

Relishing the Unlikely

Yet, this was unforeseen. Few believed the team would occupy in the top three for the holidays. And without a doubt back in October, no one envisioned Rogers now would be spearheading a hunt for the title and appearing as a crucial player for the national team.

This winning streak is to be savoured precisely because it seems so surreal. As Rogers faced the Villa faithful when the game ended conducting the cheers, he seemed to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. Such periods are rare in football and must be appreciated.