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Just eight weeks prior when the young forward stood on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered while his coach scolded him over missing a penetrating pass. During that period, as the club went six without a win, it wasn't clear whether his displays were an indicator or the source of the team's wider issues.

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

On Sunday, in contrast, the manager's outburst was far more favourable. As the in-form star swept in his brace-sealing goal to reclaim his side's advantage, the boss ripped off his winter coat, opened his arms and shouted in triumph. The team marched on to a tenth straight victory , despite not winning their opening six fixtures, now sit just three points behind the leaders Arsenal.

Is This Team Legitimate Hopefuls?

It remains an exceptionally difficult proposition to address. History, a general sense of the club, indicates otherwise. Moreover, they've rarely been wholly dominant this season, despite the fact the positive results have stacked up.

According to Opta, in only two games have Villa had an xG more than 0.5 greater than the opposition. For a club who have strung together ten consecutive victories, Villa look weirdly vulnerable – but right now the fine lines are going in their favour.

The Rogers Recipe

The current approach appears to be to trade blows with the opposition and then rely on their talisman to rescue them with a couple of precise efforts. This occurred away to Leeds, it happened against West Ham, and again against Manchester United.

Rogers' first goal stemmed from an exquisite effort, bent just inside the goal frame from a wide position. His brace-completing goal acted as a somewhat messier replica of his first 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?

Logic says not. In the recent win, the opposition had more shots and more efforts on goal. They have won each of their last eight by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in all but one of those fixtures.

A statistical correction might be the greatest opponent the club must confront in the near future. The forward, surely, will not continue to drilling the football into the net's top corner forever.

Reasons for Optimism

Perhaps there is another reality in which, rather than luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players might still find their top level.

• The centre-forward could start finding the net regularly.
• The winger might become the performer he was in Germany.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are set to regain fitness, bolstering a periodically leaky defence.

Perhaps there is in that the possibility for a sustained push, however, it is improbable cannot keep relying on one man.

Savoring the Moment

However, this is a surprise. Nobody thought Villa would be in the top three for the holidays. And without a doubt earlier this season, few could imagine Rogers as the year closed would be spearheading a title charge while establishing himself as an essential player for the national team.

The current run should be enjoyed precisely because it feels so unlikely. When the hero positioned himself before the home supporters at the final whistle conducting the cheers, he seemed to be loving the experience. A feeling he has rightly earned. These spells are rare in football and ought to be celebrated.