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A mere 60 days prior that the young forward was standing on the Sunderland turf, seeming perplexed as his coach berated him for missing a pass in behind. During that period, as the club failed to win in six, the question was if Rogers' form were an indicator or the reason for the side's broader struggles.

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

In the latest match, though, the manager's outburst was entirely far more favourable. As Rogers swept in his brace-sealing goal to reinstate the lead for Villa, the boss discarded his winter coat, threw his arms wide and roared. The Birmingham club marched on to a 10th successive win and despite not winning any of their first six fixtures, are somehow only three points behind table-toppers Arsenal.

Are They Serious Hopefuls?

This is a rather hard question to resolve. Past precedent, the perceived status of this institution, argues against it. Furthermore, their performances haven't been entirely convincing this season, while the victories have accumulated.

As per the data, on just two occasions have Villa posted an expected goals figure notably superior than the opposition. For a side which has strung together a ten-match winning streak, Villa look weirdly vulnerable – yet at the moment the fine lines are going in their favour.

The Rogers Recipe

The current approach seems to be to engage in a shootout with the opposition before hoping their star man to save the day with some precise efforts. This was the case at Leeds, it occurred against West Ham, and again against the Red Devils.

Rogers' first goal originated from a superb shot, arced precisely inside the goal frame from a wide position. For his second proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one 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.”

Can It Last?

Common sense dictates no. In the recent win, the opposition managed more efforts and more direct attempts. They have triumphed in eight consecutive games by a single goal. The defence has been breached in all but one of those matches.

A statistical correction could be the most significant challenge they have to face over the coming weeks. Rogers, surely, cannot keep on thrashing the football into the top corner forever.

Reasons for Optimism

Could it be an alternative path in which, rather than outcomes regressing to match displays, the level of play rises to match the results. Key players may yet return to peak condition.

• Ollie Watkins might resume adding to his goal tally.
• Jadon Sancho might become the force he resembled during his peak.
• The defensive duo will eventually return from injury, bolstering an occasionally vulnerable backline.

Perhaps there is in that the potential for a sustained push, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on a single individual.

Enjoying the Ride

But then, nobody expected this. It seemed improbable Aston Villa would occupy in the top three for the holidays. And most definitely earlier this season, few could imagine the midfielder by the end of the year would be at the forefront of a title charge while establishing himself as an essential England player.

This remarkable period should be enjoyed for the very reason that it feels so unlikely. When the hero positioned himself before the North End at the final whistle orchestrating the applause, he seemed to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. These spells are uncommon in the sport and should be relished.