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It was eight weeks prior that the Villa attacker stood on the Sunderland turf, looking confused as the Villa manager berated him for failing to anticipate a penetrating pass. During that period, as Villa endured a six-game winless run, the question was whether his performances were a symptom or the reason for Villa's more general malaise.

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

On Sunday, in contrast, the manager's outburst was much more joyous. As the in-form star curled home his second to reclaim the lead for Villa, the boss discarded his coat, threw his arms wide and bellowed. The team marched on to a 10th successive win , having failed to win their opening six matches, find themselves only three points adrift of pace-setters Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Legitimate Hopefuls?

That’s a particularly tough question to address. History, a general sense of this institution, argues against it. Furthermore, they have not been entirely convincing this season, even as the victories have stacked up.

According to the data, on just two occasions has the team had an xG more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a team which has strung together a ten-match winning streak, they seem weirdly vulnerable – yet currently the fine lines are swinging for them.

The Reliant Strategy

Their recent policy looks like to engage in a shootout with rivals before hoping their talisman to rescue them with some precise efforts. This occurred away to Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and once more against the Red Devils.

Rogers' first goal stemmed from a brilliant finish, arced precisely inside the upright from the corner of the box. The follow-up goal acted as a somewhat messier replica of goal number one capitalizing on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.

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

How Long Can This Continue?

Logic says not. During the latest victory, the opponents registered more shots and more direct attempts. Villa have won each of their last eight by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in nearly all of those games.

A statistical correction could be the biggest rival they must confront over the coming weeks. Their key man, almost certainly, cannot maintain blasting the ball past despairing goalkeepers forever.

Reasons for Optimism

Perhaps there is an alternative path in which, instead of outcomes regressing to match displays, the level of play rises to match the results. Vital cogs may yet return to peak condition.

• Ollie Watkins could start finding the net regularly.
• Jadon Sancho might become the force he resembled at Borussia Dortmund.
• The defensive duo are set to return from injury, strengthening a sometimes shaky defence.

Maybe within that lies the seeds for a sustained push, yet it seems unlikely cannot keep relying on one man.

Relishing the Unlikely

However, this is a surprise. Nobody thought Aston Villa would occupy in the top three for the holidays. And certainly earlier this season, few could imagine Rogers by the end of the year would be leading a hunt for the title and appearing as a vital player for the national team.

This winning streak should be enjoyed precisely because it seems so surreal. As the hero positioned himself before the Villa faithful after the match orchestrating the applause, he seemed to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. These spells are uncommon in the sport and should be relished.