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It was eight weeks prior that the Villa attacker found himself on the Sunderland turf, looking confused as the Villa manager scolded him for not reading a penetrating pass. During that period, with the team endured a six-game winless run, the question was whether his displays were an indicator or the reason for Villa's wider issues.

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

This weekend, though, the sideline response was decidedly more positive. After the England international drilled in his second to reinstate Villa's lead, Emery discarded his jacket, threw his arms wide and shouted in triumph. The Birmingham club continued to ten wins in a row and having failed to win their initial half-dozen matches, find themselves just three points adrift of pace-setters Arsenal.

Are They Serious Hopefuls?

That’s an exceptionally difficult query to answer. Past precedent, a general sense of this institution, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, they have not been wholly dominant in many games, despite the fact the victories have accumulated.

As per the data, on just two occasions has the team registered an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than the other team. For a club that have just won ten consecutive victories, the Villans appear weirdly vulnerable – however right now the margins are falling their way.

The Winning Formula

The current approach looks like to exchange chances with rivals and then rely on their star man to bail them out with a couple of precise efforts. This was the case against Leeds, it transpired at West Ham, and again versus the Red Devils.

His opener came from an exquisite effort, arced precisely inside the goal frame from the corner of the box. His brace-completing goal acted as a slightly less clean iteration of the opener as he pounced 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.”

Is It Sustainable?

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

A statistical correction may well be the greatest opponent Villa must confront over the coming weeks. Their key man, in all likelihood, will not continue to thrashing his shots into the net's top corner week in, week out.

Reasons for Optimism

Perhaps there is a different scenario whereby, rather than results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Important figures might still return to peak condition.

• Ollie Watkins could start adding to his goal tally.
• The attacking talent could transform into the force he showed at Borussia Dortmund.
• The defensive duo will eventually come back from the treatment room, strengthening a periodically leaky backline.

This could contain the seeds for a sustained push, however, it is improbable cannot keep relying on a single individual.

Relishing the Unlikely

But then, this was unforeseen. It seemed improbable the team would be in a Champions League place in December. And certainly two months ago, few could imagine Rogers as the year closed would be at the forefront of a title charge while establishing himself as a vital England player.

This remarkable period should be enjoyed for the very reason that it feels so unlikely. When Rogers faced the Villa faithful after the match orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be loving the experience. Which he fully merits. These spells are uncommon in the sport and ought to be celebrated.