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It was eight weeks in the past when the young forward stood on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered as the Villa manager berated him over not reading a pass in behind. At that point, as the club went six without a win, doubts remained whether his performances were a sign or the source for the side's broader struggles.

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

This weekend, however, the touchline reaction was decidedly more positive. When the England international drilled in his second strike to reclaim Villa's lead, Emery tore off his winter coat, spread his arms and roared. The team marched on to a 10th successive win and despite not winning their opening six matches, now sit only three points off the leaders Arsenal.

Is This Team Legitimate Hopefuls?

This is an exceptionally difficult question to answer. History, a general sense of Villa, argues against it. Furthermore, they've rarely been wholly dominant in many games, while the wins have piled up.

As per the data, twice all season has the side registered an expected goals figure notably superior than their opponents. For a side who have put together 10 in a row, Villa seem curiously susceptible – but right now the tight outcomes are swinging for them.

The Rogers Recipe

The current approach appears to be to exchange chances with the opposition before hoping their star man to rescue them with two clinical strikes. It happened away to Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and again versus the Red Devils.

The initial strike stemmed from a superb shot, curled right inside the upright from the edge of the area. His brace-completing goal acted as a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one as he pounced 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.”

Is It Sustainable?

Common sense dictates no. During the latest victory, the opposition had a greater number of attempts and more efforts on goal. Villa have won each of their last eight by just one goal. The defence has been breached in all except one of those matches.

A reversion to average might be the most significant challenge the club must confront in the near future. The forward, in all likelihood, will not continue to blasting the ball past despairing goalkeepers forever.

Potential for Growth

Could it be a different scenario whereby, instead of luck running out, the level of play rises to match the results. Key players may yet return to peak condition.

• The centre-forward might resume finding the net regularly.
• The attacking talent could transform into the force he was in Germany.
• The defensive duo will eventually return from injury, strengthening a sometimes shaky backline.

Perhaps there is in that the possibility of a genuine bid, but they surely can continue to depend solely on one man.

Savoring the Moment

But then, nobody expected this. Nobody thought Villa would be in a Champions League place in December. And certainly back in October, few could imagine the young forward by the end of the year would be at the forefront of a hunt for the title while looking like a crucial player for the national team.

This remarkable period should be enjoyed precisely because it feels so unlikely. When Rogers positioned himself before the Villa faithful when the game ended conducting the cheers, he seemed to be thoroughly enjoying it. As he deserves to. These spells do not happen often and ought to be celebrated.