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A mere 60 days in the past that the young forward stood on the Sunderland turf, appearing bewildered while the Villa manager admonished him for not reading a pass in behind. At that point, as the club endured a six-game winless run, the question was if his displays were a sign or the source for Villa's more general malaise.

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

This weekend, though, the sideline response proved to be much more joyous. When the in-form star drilled in his brace-sealing goal to restore Villa's lead, the boss discarded his coat, opened his arms and roared. The team marched on to ten wins in a row and having failed to win their opening six games, find themselves just three points off pace-setters Arsenal.

Is This Team Serious Hopefuls?

This is a particularly tough question to address. The historical record, the perceived status of the club, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, they've rarely been completely commanding in many games, while the victories have piled up.

As per statistical analysis, twice all season has the team had an expected goals figure significantly higher than the other team. For a side who have put together 10 in a row, Villa seem curiously susceptible – yet right now the margins are going in their favour.

The Reliant Strategy

Their recent policy seems to be to trade blows with an opponent and then rely on their talisman to bail them out with two precise efforts. This was the case against Leeds, it occurred in London, and once more versus the Red Devils.

The initial strike originated from a brilliant finish, arced right inside the goal frame from the edge of the area. The follow-up goal acted as a slight scruffier version of his first capitalizing on a setup by his strike partner.

“Much like Robben with his left, Rogers’ right foot has become a known threat that remains brutally unstoppable, regardless of anticipation.”

Is It Sustainable?

Logic says not. In the recent win, the opposition managed more efforts and more direct attempts. Villa have won each of their last eight by a single goal. They’ve conceded in all but one of those matches.

A reversion to average might be the greatest opponent Villa must confront in the near future. The forward, in all likelihood, cannot keep on thrashing his shots into the top corner week in, week out.

Potential for Growth

Could it be a different scenario in which, instead of luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players might still return to peak condition.

• Ollie Watkins could start finding the net regularly.
• The winger may rediscover the performer he resembled at Borussia Dortmund.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres will eventually return from injury, strengthening a sometimes shaky backline.

Maybe within that lies the possibility for a sustained push, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on one man.

Savoring the Moment

However, this was unforeseen. Few believed the team would sit in the top three for the holidays. And most definitely earlier this season, few could imagine the midfielder now would be leading a hunt for the title and appearing as a vital Three Lions star.

The current run should be enjoyed for the very reason that it appears so improbable. As Rogers faced the North End after the match leading the celebrations, he appeared to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. Such periods are rare in football and must be appreciated.