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A mere 60 days prior that the young forward was standing on the pitch at Sunderland, seeming perplexed while the Villa manager berated him for failing to anticipate a through-ball. During that period, with the team endured a six-game winless run, the question was whether his performances were an indicator or the source for the side's broader struggles.

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

This weekend, in contrast, the sideline response was entirely much more joyous. As the England international drilled in his second to restore the lead for Villa, Emery tore off his jacket, threw his arms wide and bellowed. Villa were on their way to ten wins in a row and despite not winning any of their first six matches, find themselves only three points adrift of the leaders Arsenal.

Are They Serious Hopefuls?

It remains a rather hard question to address. Past precedent, the traditional standing of the club, argues against it. Furthermore, their performances haven't been completely commanding this season, despite the fact the victories have piled up.

According to statistical analysis, on just two occasions has the team posted an xG more than 0.5 greater than the opposition. For a side that have put together 10 in a row, the Villans appear weirdly vulnerable – but currently the tight outcomes are going in their favour.

The Winning Formula

The prevailing tactic seems to be to trade blows with the opposition and then rely on their star man to bail them out with two precise efforts. This occurred away to Leeds, it happened in London, and again against the Red Devils.

The initial strike came from a brilliant finish, bent right inside the post from the corner of the box. His brace-completing goal acted as a slight scruffier version of his first capitalizing on a setup by his strike partner.

“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.”

How Long Can This Continue?

Reason suggests otherwise. In the recent win, Manchester United registered more shots and more shots on target. They have triumphed in eight consecutive games by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in all except one of those matches.

A statistical correction may well be the most significant challenge Villa will encounter as the season progresses. The forward, in all likelihood, cannot maintain thrashing the ball into the net's top corner week in, week out.

Reasons for Optimism

Maybe there exists a different scenario where, rather than results trending towards performances, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Vital cogs may yet rediscover their best form.

• The centre-forward may begin to finding the net regularly.
• The attacking talent may rediscover the performer he showed in Germany.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are due to regain fitness, fortifying a sometimes shaky defensive unit.

Maybe within that lies the possibility of a title challenge, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on one man.

Savoring the Moment

However, this was unforeseen. Few believed Aston Villa would occupy in the top three for the holidays. And certainly two months ago, nobody thought the young forward now would be at the forefront of a championship pursuit while looking like a crucial England player.

This remarkable period is to be savoured exactly since it seems so surreal. When Rogers faced the North End when the game ended orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be thoroughly enjoying it. As he deserves to. Such periods are uncommon in the sport and must be appreciated.