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It was eight weeks ago that the young forward was standing on the Stadium of Light pitch, appearing bewildered while the Villa manager scolded him for failing to anticipate a through-ball. During that period, as Villa endured a six-game winless run, the question was if Rogers' form were an indicator or the source for Villa's broader struggles.

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

In the latest match, however, the touchline reaction was far more favourable. As the England international curled home his second to reinstate the lead for Villa, the Spanish tactician discarded his winter coat, spread his arms and roared. Villa were on their way to ten wins in a row , despite not winning any of their first six fixtures, are somehow just three points off the leaders Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Genuine Hopefuls?

This is a rather hard query to answer. History, the traditional standing of this institution, argues against it. Additionally, they've rarely been completely commanding during this run, despite the fact the positive results have stacked up.

As per Opta, on just two occasions has the team had an xG notably superior than the opposition. For a team which has strung together a ten-match winning streak, the Villans seem curiously susceptible – but at the moment the margins are swinging for them.

The Reliant Strategy

The prevailing tactic looks like to exchange chances with an opponent and then rely on Rogers to save the day with two crisp finishes. It happened away to Leeds, it happened at West Ham, and it happened versus United.

Rogers' first goal originated from a brilliant finish, curled precisely inside the goal frame from the edge of the area. The follow-up goal acted as a slightly less clean iteration of his first capitalizing on a setup by his strike partner.

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

Can It Last?

Reason suggests otherwise. During the latest victory, Manchester United had a greater number of attempts and more shots on target. Villa have won each of their last eight by just one goal. The defence has been breached in nearly all of those games.

A reversion to average may well be the most significant challenge the club will encounter over the coming weeks. Their key man, almost certainly, cannot keep on blasting his shots into the top corner indefinitely.

Potential for Growth

Maybe there exists an alternative path where, instead of luck running out, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Vital cogs might still return to peak condition.

• The centre-forward might resume scoring again.
• The winger may rediscover the force he was at Borussia Dortmund.
• The defensive duo are set to come back from the treatment room, fortifying a periodically leaky defensive unit.

Perhaps there is in that the seeds for a sustained push, but they surely can continue to depend solely on a single individual.

Enjoying the Ride

However, nobody expected this. Nobody thought the team would occupy in the top three for the holidays. And certainly two months ago, no one envisioned the young forward now would be at the forefront of a title charge while establishing himself as a crucial player for the national team.

This remarkable period must be cherished for the very reason that it seems so surreal. When Rogers stood in front of the North End at the final whistle orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be loving the experience. Which he fully merits. Such periods do not happen often and must be appreciated.