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It was 60 days prior that the Villa attacker was standing on the Stadium of Light pitch, seeming perplexed as his coach admonished him for not reading a through-ball. During that period, as the club endured a six-game winless run, doubts remained whether his displays were a sign or the source for the team's broader struggles.

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

In the latest match, in contrast, the manager's outburst was entirely much more joyous. When the England international swept in his second strike to reclaim Villa's lead, the boss ripped off his jacket, spread his arms and roared. The Birmingham club continued to a 10th successive win , having failed to win any of their first six matches, find themselves only three points behind pace-setters Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Legitimate Hopefuls?

It remains an exceptionally difficult proposition to resolve. The historical record, the perceived status of this institution, argues against it. Moreover, their performances haven't been entirely convincing during this run, even as the positive results have piled up.

Per Opta, twice all season have Villa registered an xG more than 0.5 greater than the other team. For a club which has put together ten consecutive victories, they appear weirdly vulnerable – but currently the tight outcomes are falling their way.

The Reliant Strategy

Their recent policy seems to be to trade blows with an opponent and wait for their talisman to bail them out with two clinical strikes. This occurred away to Leeds, it occurred in London, and once more versus United.

Rogers' first goal stemmed from an exquisite effort, bent precisely inside the goal frame 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.

“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?

Common sense dictates no. In the recent win, the opponents managed a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. Villa have secured their last eight victories by just one goal. The defence has been breached in all except one of those matches.

A reversion to average might be the greatest opponent Villa must confront in the near future. Rogers, almost certainly, will not continue to thrashing the football past despairing goalkeepers week in, week out.

Potential for Growth

Perhaps there is an alternative path where, rather than results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Important figures could still find their top level.

• The centre-forward might resume adding to his goal tally.
• Jadon Sancho could transform into the performer he showed during his peak.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are set to come back from the treatment room, strengthening a periodically leaky backline.

This could contain 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 Villa would be in a Champions League place in December. And most definitely back in October, nobody thought the young forward as the year closed would be leading a hunt for the title and appearing as an essential England player.

The current run should be enjoyed exactly since it seems so surreal. When the match-winner positioned himself before the Villa faithful when the game ended leading the celebrations, it was clear to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. These spells are rare in football and must be appreciated.