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A mere two months prior that the young forward was standing on the Stadium of Light pitch, appearing bewildered while his coach berated him for failing to anticipate a through-ball. During that period, as the club went six without a win, it wasn't clear whether Rogers' form were a symptom or a cause for the side'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 manager's outburst proved to be much more joyous. As the England international drilled in his second to reinstate Villa's lead, Emery ripped off his coat, opened his arms and shouted in triumph. The team marched on to a tenth straight victory , after failing to win their opening six matches, find themselves only three points off the leaders Arsenal.

Is This Team Serious Hopefuls?

This is an exceptionally difficult proposition to address. History, the perceived status of Villa, argues against it. Moreover, they've rarely been wholly dominant during this run, even as the positive results have accumulated.

As per Opta, in only two games has the team registered an expected goals figure notably superior than the opposition. For a side who have strung together ten consecutive victories, Villa seem weirdly vulnerable – however right now the tight outcomes are falling their way.

The Reliant Strategy

The prevailing tactic seems to be to exchange chances with the opposition before hoping Rogers to rescue them with some precise efforts. This was the case at Leeds, it transpired at West Ham, and it happened versus the Red Devils.

Rogers' first goal came from a brilliant finish, curled precisely inside the goal frame from the edge of the area. For his second proved to be a somewhat messier replica of goal number one capitalizing on a setup by his strike partner.

“Rogers’ right foot is now akin to Robben’s legendary left: forewarned does not mean forearmed, and stopping him is another matter entirely.”

How Long Can This Continue?

Common sense dictates no. During the latest victory, the opposition registered more efforts and more shots on target. The team has won each of their last eight by the narrowest of margins. They have allowed goals in nearly all of those fixtures.

A statistical correction could be the most significant challenge the club have to face in the near future. Their key man, almost certainly, cannot keep on thrashing his shots into the net's top corner indefinitely.

A Case for Belief

Maybe there exists another reality where, instead of results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs could still find their top level.

• The main striker could start scoring again.
• The winger may rediscover the performer he was during his peak.
• The injured centre-backs are set to regain fitness, strengthening a sometimes shaky defence.

Perhaps there is in that the possibility for a sustained push, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on a single individual.

Enjoying the Ride

However, nobody expected this. Nobody thought Aston Villa would occupy third at Christmas. And most definitely back in October, nobody thought the young forward by the end of the year would be leading a title charge while looking like a vital player for the national team.

This remarkable period must be cherished exactly since it appears so improbable. As the hero positioned himself before the Villa faithful when the game ended conducting the cheers, he appeared to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. These runs of form do not happen often and must be appreciated.