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A mere eight weeks ago that the young forward found himself on the Stadium of Light pitch, seeming perplexed while the Villa manager scolded him over not reading a penetrating pass. During that period, as Villa failed to win in six, the question was whether his performances were a sign or a cause for Villa's broader struggles.

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

This weekend, though, the touchline reaction proved to be much more joyous. After the in-form star swept in his second to reclaim his side's advantage, the boss ripped off his jacket, threw his arms wide and roared. The Birmingham club marched on to ten wins in a row and after failing to win their initial half-dozen fixtures, are somehow just three points behind the leaders Arsenal.

Is This Team Serious Hopefuls?

That’s a rather hard proposition to answer. Past precedent, a general sense of the club, indicates otherwise. Moreover, they have not been entirely convincing during this run, while the victories have accumulated.

As per statistical analysis, on just two occasions have Villa had an expected goals figure notably superior than the opposition. For a side that have just won 10 in a row, they appear weirdly vulnerable – yet currently the tight outcomes are falling their way.

The Rogers Recipe

Their recent policy appears to be to engage in a shootout with the opposition and then rely on Rogers to save the day with a couple of clinical strikes. This occurred against Leeds, it transpired in London, and once more versus Manchester United.

Rogers' first goal stemmed from a superb shot, curled just inside the post from a wide position. For his second was essentially a slight scruffier version of goal number one as he pounced 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.”

How Long Can This Continue?

Common sense dictates no. Against United, the opponents had a greater number of attempts and more efforts on goal. The team has secured their last eight victories by a single goal. They have allowed goals in all except one of those matches.

A reversion to average could be the biggest rival the club must confront over the coming weeks. The forward, in all likelihood, cannot keep on thrashing the football into the net's top corner forever.

Reasons for Optimism

Maybe there exists another reality where, rather than results trending towards performances, the level of play rises to match the results. Key players might still find their top level.

• The main striker may begin to adding to his goal tally.
• Jadon Sancho could transform into the player he resembled in Germany.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are due to come back from the treatment room, bolstering a sometimes shaky defensive unit.

Maybe within that lies the seeds for a sustained push, yet it seems unlikely can persist in leaning entirely on one man.

Relishing the Unlikely

However, this was unforeseen. It seemed improbable the team would sit in the top three for the holidays. And most definitely earlier this season, nobody thought the midfielder now would be leading a title charge while looking like a crucial player for the national team.

The current run must be cherished for the very reason that it feels so unlikely. When Rogers stood in front of the Villa faithful at the final whistle leading the celebrations, he appeared to be thoroughly enjoying it. As he deserves to. Such periods do not happen often and should be relished.