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It was 60 days prior when the young forward was standing on the Sunderland turf, looking confused while the Villa manager berated him over not reading a through-ball. During that period, with the team failed to win in six, the question was if his displays were a symptom or the source for Villa's wider issues.

“When Rogers netted his second… Emery tore off his coat, threw his arms wide, and bellowed in delight.”

On Sunday, in contrast, the sideline response was entirely far more favourable. As the in-form star drilled in his brace-sealing goal to reclaim the lead for Villa, the Spanish tactician tore off his winter coat, threw his arms wide and shouted in triumph. The team were on their way to a 10th successive win and after failing to win any of their first six games, find themselves just three points off the leaders Arsenal.

Are They Legitimate Hopefuls?

That’s a rather hard query to resolve. The historical record, the perceived status of the club, argues against it. Furthermore, they've rarely been wholly dominant in many games, even as the wins have stacked up.

Per Opta, on just two occasions has the team registered an expected goals figure notably superior than the other team. For a club who have put together 10 in a row, Villa seem strangely fragile – however at the moment the fine lines are going in their favour.

The Rogers Recipe

Their recent policy appears to be to trade blows with the opposition before hoping their star man to save the day with two precise efforts. This occurred at Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and once more when facing United.

The initial strike came from an exquisite effort, curled just inside the post from the corner of the box. His brace-completing goal acted as a somewhat messier replica of the opener as he pounced on a pass from Watkins.

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

Can It Last?

Logic says not. Against United, Manchester United registered a greater number of attempts and more efforts on goal. The team has secured their last eight victories by just one goal. They’ve conceded in nearly all of those matches.

A statistical correction may well be the most significant challenge they have to face as the season progresses. Rogers, surely, will not continue to blasting his shots past despairing goalkeepers forever.

Potential for Growth

Maybe there exists a different scenario where, instead of luck running out, the level of play rises to match the results. Key players could still return to peak condition.

• Ollie Watkins may begin to finding the net regularly.
• The winger may rediscover the force he showed during his peak.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres will eventually return from injury, bolstering a sometimes shaky defensive unit.

This could contain the potential of a genuine bid, but they surely can continue to depend solely on a single individual.

Relishing the Unlikely

Yet, this is a surprise. Few believed the team would be in a Champions League place in December. And certainly back in October, few could imagine the young forward as the year closed would be at the forefront of a title charge and appearing as a crucial Three Lions star.

This winning streak must be cherished precisely because it seems so surreal. When the match-winner positioned himself before the North End when the game ended conducting the cheers, he appeared to be relishing every moment. A feeling he has rightly earned. Such periods are rare in football and must be appreciated.