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A mere 60 days ago when the Villa attacker stood on the Sunderland turf, appearing bewildered while his coach berated him over missing a penetrating pass. Back then, with the team endured a six-game winless run, the question was if his displays were an indicator or a cause of the team's wider issues.

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

In the latest match, though, the sideline response was entirely far more favourable. When the England international drilled in his brace-sealing goal to reinstate Villa's lead, the boss discarded his jacket, opened his arms and shouted in triumph. Villa were on their way to a 10th successive win and after failing to win their initial half-dozen fixtures, now sit just three points adrift of the leaders Arsenal.

Are They Serious Hopefuls?

That’s a particularly tough question to answer. Past precedent, the perceived status of this institution, argues against it. Moreover, they've rarely been completely commanding in many games, even as the positive results have piled up.

As per Opta, in only two games have Villa had an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a side who have just won ten consecutive victories, Villa look weirdly vulnerable – but currently the tight outcomes are falling their way.

The Reliant Strategy

Their recent policy appears to be to engage in a shootout with rivals before hoping Rogers to rescue them with a couple of precise efforts. It happened away to Leeds, it occurred against West Ham, and again versus Manchester United.

His opener stemmed from a brilliant finish, curled just inside the goal frame from the corner of the box. The follow-up goal proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of his first as he seized on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.

“Much like Robben with his left, Rogers’ right foot has become a known threat that remains brutally unstoppable, regardless of anticipation.”

How Long Can This Continue?

Reason suggests otherwise. In the recent win, Manchester United managed a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. The team has secured their last eight victories by just one goal. They’ve conceded in all except one of those games.

Regression to the mean might be the greatest opponent Villa have to face in the near future. Rogers, in all likelihood, cannot keep on thrashing his shots past despairing goalkeepers forever.

Reasons for Optimism

Perhaps there is an alternative path in which, instead of luck running out, the level of play rises to match the results. Key players could still return to peak condition.

• The main striker may begin to scoring again.
• The attacking talent might become the force he resembled in Germany.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres will eventually come back from the treatment room, bolstering a sometimes shaky backline.

This could contain the seeds of a genuine bid, yet it seems unlikely can persist in leaning entirely on one man.

Relishing the Unlikely

However, this was unforeseen. Nobody thought Aston Villa would be in the top three for the holidays. And without a doubt back in October, nobody thought the young forward now would be at the forefront of a hunt for the title and appearing as a vital player for the national team.

This remarkable period must be cherished precisely because it seems so surreal. When the hero positioned himself before the home supporters when the game ended leading the celebrations, he seemed to be relishing every moment. Which he fully merits. These runs of form are uncommon in the sport and should be relished.