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Just eight weeks in the past that the young forward found himself on the Sunderland turf, looking confused while the Villa manager scolded him over missing a penetrating pass. At that point, as the club endured a six-game winless run, the question was if his performances were a symptom or a cause for Villa's more general malaise.

“When Rogers netted his second… Emery tore off his coat, threw his arms wide, and bellowed in delight.”

This weekend, in contrast, the touchline reaction was decidedly more positive. As the England international drilled in his second to reinstate the lead for Villa, Emery tore off his jacket, spread his arms and bellowed. Villa continued to a 10th successive win , having failed to win their opening six games, now sit only three points behind pace-setters Arsenal.

Is This Team Serious Challengers?

It remains a particularly tough proposition to resolve. History, the traditional standing of the club, suggests not. Furthermore, they've rarely been entirely convincing in many games, while the wins have stacked up.

As per Opta, on just two occasions has the side had an expected goals figure significantly higher than the opposition. For a team which has just won 10 in a row, they look weirdly vulnerable – yet at the moment the tight outcomes are swinging for them.

The Reliant Strategy

Their recent policy looks like to trade blows with the opposition and then rely on Rogers to save the day with some clinical strikes. It happened against Leeds, it happened in London, and it happened versus Manchester United.

Rogers' first goal originated from an exquisite effort, curled precisely inside the post from the corner of the box. The follow-up goal was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of the opener as he seized on a setup by his strike partner.

“Much like Robben with his left, Rogers’ right foot has become a known threat that remains brutally unstoppable, regardless of anticipation.”

Can It Last?

Logic says not. In the recent win, the opponents had a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. The team has secured their last eight victories by the narrowest of margins. The defence has been breached in nearly all of those games.

A statistical correction may well be the greatest opponent they will encounter over the coming weeks. Their key man, in all likelihood, cannot keep on drilling his shots into the net's top corner week in, week out.

Potential for Growth

Perhaps there is a different scenario whereby, instead of outcomes regressing to match displays, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs may yet rediscover their best form.

• Ollie Watkins may begin to scoring again.
• The attacking talent might become the performer he showed at Borussia Dortmund.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are due to regain fitness, bolstering a periodically leaky defensive unit.

This could contain the potential of a genuine bid, but they surely can continue to depend solely on one man.

Savoring the Moment

But then, this was unforeseen. Nobody thought Villa would be in a Champions League place in December. And certainly two months ago, nobody thought the midfielder by the end of the year would be at the forefront of a hunt for the title and appearing as a crucial Three Lions star.

This remarkable period must be cherished exactly since it feels so unlikely. When Rogers stood in front of the home supporters when the game ended conducting the cheers, he seemed to be thoroughly enjoying it. Which he fully merits. Such periods are uncommon in the sport and must be appreciated.