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Just 60 days in the past that the young forward stood on the pitch at Sunderland, seeming perplexed as the Villa manager berated him over not reading a through-ball. At that point, as the club went six without a win, the question was whether Rogers' form were a symptom or the reason of the team's more general malaise.

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

On Sunday, though, the manager's outburst was entirely far more favourable. After the in-form star swept in his second strike to restore his side's advantage, the boss ripped off his winter coat, threw his arms wide and bellowed. The Birmingham club were on their way to ten wins in a row and having failed to win any of their first six fixtures, find themselves just three points off pace-setters Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Genuine Hopefuls?

That’s an exceptionally difficult proposition to resolve. Past precedent, the perceived status of the club, suggests not. Moreover, they've rarely been entirely convincing during this run, even as the positive results have piled up.

As per statistical analysis, on just two occasions has the team registered an expected goals figure notably superior than the opposition. For a team who have strung together 10 in a row, Villa seem strangely fragile – however right now the margins are falling their way.

The Winning Formula

The current approach seems to be to trade blows with rivals and wait for their talisman to bail them out with a couple of precise efforts. It happened away to Leeds, it occurred against West Ham, and again when facing United.

The initial strike stemmed from an exquisite effort, bent precisely inside the post from a wide position. His brace-completing goal proved to be a somewhat messier replica of the opener capitalizing on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.

“Perhaps Rogers’ right foot is becoming like Arjen Robben’s left: just because you know he’s going to whip the ball into the top corner doesn’t mean you can stop him.”

Can It Last?

Common sense dictates no. In the recent win, the opposition managed a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. Villa have secured their last eight victories by just one goal. They have allowed goals in all except one of those fixtures.

A statistical correction could be the biggest rival Villa must confront over the coming weeks. Rogers, almost certainly, will not continue to blasting the football past despairing goalkeepers week in, week out.

Reasons for Optimism

Maybe there exists an alternative path where, instead of results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Important figures could still rediscover their best form.

• The main striker could start scoring again.
• The winger may rediscover the performer he was at Borussia Dortmund.
• The defensive duo will eventually regain fitness, strengthening a periodically leaky defensive unit.

Maybe within that lies the potential for a sustained push, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on a single individual.

Relishing the Unlikely

But then, this was unforeseen. Nobody thought Aston Villa would be in a Champions League place in December. And most definitely earlier this season, few could imagine Rogers now would be leading a title charge while establishing himself as an essential England player.

This winning streak must be cherished for the very reason that it appears so improbable. When the match-winner stood in front of the Villa faithful when the game ended orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be loving the experience. Which he fully merits. These runs of form are uncommon in the sport and must be appreciated.