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It was eight weeks ago that the young forward was standing on the Sunderland turf, looking confused while his coach scolded him for failing to anticipate a through-ball. Back then, with the team went six without a win, it wasn't clear if his displays were a sign or the source of the team's wider issues.

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

In the latest match, in contrast, the manager's outburst was entirely far more favourable. When the England international curled home his brace-sealing goal to restore his side's advantage, the boss ripped off his winter coat, threw his arms wide and roared. Villa marched on to ten wins in a row and having failed to win their initial half-dozen games, now sit just three points off table-toppers Arsenal.

Are They Serious Title Contenders?

That’s a rather hard question to address. History, the traditional standing of the club, indicates otherwise. Moreover, their performances haven't been entirely convincing in many games, despite the fact the wins have stacked up.

As per the data, in only two games have Villa registered an xG notably superior than the other team. For a team that have just won ten consecutive victories, Villa appear curiously susceptible – but at the moment the fine lines are swinging for them.

The Reliant Strategy

Their recent policy seems to be to exchange chances with rivals and wait for Rogers to save the day with two clinical strikes. It happened at Leeds, it happened against West Ham, and again against United.

His opener stemmed from a brilliant finish, arced just inside the goal frame from the edge of the area. His brace-completing goal acted as a slightly less clean iteration of his first as he seized 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, the opponents registered a greater number of attempts and more efforts on goal. The team has won each of their last eight by a single goal. The defence has been breached in all except one of those games.

A statistical correction could be the greatest opponent the club must confront as the season progresses. Their key man, surely, cannot keep on drilling his shots into the top corner forever.

Potential for Growth

Perhaps there is a different scenario whereby, instead of results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs could still return to peak condition.

• The main striker could start adding to his goal tally.
• The winger might become the performer he resembled during his peak.
• The injured centre-backs are set to return from injury, bolstering a sometimes shaky defensive unit.

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

Enjoying the Ride

But then, this was unforeseen. It seemed improbable Villa would sit in a Champions League place in December. And most definitely two months ago, no one envisioned Rogers by the end of the year would be spearheading a championship pursuit while establishing himself as a vital England player.

This remarkable period must be cherished for the very reason that it appears so improbable. When the hero positioned himself before the North End after the match conducting the cheers, he seemed to be relishing every moment. Which he fully merits. These spells do not happen often and should be relished.