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A mere eight weeks in the past that the young forward was standing on the pitch at Sunderland, looking confused as the Villa manager admonished him over failing to anticipate a pass in behind. At that point, with the team went six without a win, doubts remained whether his displays were a sign or a cause of Villa's more general malaise.

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

This weekend, though, the touchline reaction was decidedly more positive. After the in-form star curled home his second strike to restore his side's advantage, the boss discarded his coat, spread his arms and roared. The team marched on to a tenth straight victory , despite not winning their initial half-dozen fixtures, now sit only three points behind table-toppers Arsenal.

Is This Team Legitimate Challengers?

It remains a particularly tough query to resolve. Past precedent, the perceived status of the club, argues against it. Additionally, they've rarely been wholly dominant this season, while the wins have piled up.

According to the data, on just two occasions have Villa registered an expected goals figure notably superior than the opposition. For a club who have put together a ten-match winning streak, they appear weirdly vulnerable – but currently the tight outcomes are falling their way.

The Winning Formula

The current approach looks like to exchange chances with rivals before hoping their star man to rescue them with a couple of crisp finishes. This occurred against Leeds, it transpired at West Ham, and it happened against United.

Rogers' first goal came from an exquisite effort, arced precisely inside the upright from the corner of the box. For his second proved to be a somewhat messier replica of his first capitalizing on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.

“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?

Logic says not. During the latest victory, the opponents registered more efforts and more direct attempts. Villa have won each of their last eight by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in nearly all of those games.

Regression to the mean could be the biggest rival Villa have to face as the season progresses. The forward, almost certainly, cannot keep on drilling the football past despairing goalkeepers forever.

Reasons for Optimism

Maybe there exists a different scenario where, rather than results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players could still rediscover their best form.

• Ollie Watkins might resume adding to his goal tally.
• The attacking talent might become the player he was during his peak.
• The injured centre-backs will eventually regain fitness, strengthening an occasionally vulnerable defence.

Perhaps there is in that the seeds of a genuine bid, yet it seems unlikely cannot keep relying on a single individual.

Enjoying the Ride

Yet, nobody expected this. Nobody thought Villa would be in a Champions League place in December. And without a doubt back in October, few could imagine Rogers now would be at the forefront of a title charge while establishing himself as a vital England player.

The current run must be cherished precisely because it appears so improbable. When the match-winner faced the Villa faithful when the game ended orchestrating the applause, he seemed to be thoroughly enjoying it. Which he fully merits. These spells are rare in football and should be relished.