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It was eight weeks in the past that the Villa attacker was standing on the Sunderland turf, appearing bewildered as his coach admonished him for failing to anticipate a penetrating pass. During that period, as Villa failed to win in six, the question was if his displays were an indicator or the reason of Villa's more general malaise.

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

This weekend, though, the manager's outburst proved to be far more favourable. As the England international swept in his second strike to reclaim the lead for Villa, Emery ripped off his winter coat, threw his arms wide and roared. The Birmingham club marched on to ten wins in a row , after failing to win any of their first six matches, are somehow only three points off the leaders Arsenal.

Is This Team Serious Hopefuls?

This is an exceptionally difficult question to address. The historical record, the traditional standing of this institution, argues against it. Additionally, their performances haven't been wholly dominant during this run, despite the fact the positive results have accumulated.

According to Opta, in only two games has the side had an xG more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a club which has just won a ten-match winning streak, they seem weirdly vulnerable – but at the moment the fine lines are going in their favour.

The Reliant Strategy

The current approach looks like to trade blows with an opponent and wait for their talisman to bail them out with a couple of crisp finishes. It happened at Leeds, it happened at West Ham, and it happened against the Red Devils.

The initial strike came from a superb shot, bent just inside the goal frame from a wide position. For his second acted as a somewhat messier replica of the opener as he pounced 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?

Common sense dictates no. During the latest victory, the opponents registered more shots and more shots on target. They have triumphed in eight consecutive games by a single goal. The defence has been breached in all but one of those fixtures.

A statistical correction may well be the biggest rival Villa must confront as the season progresses. Rogers, surely, will not continue to drilling the football into the net's top corner indefinitely.

Potential for Growth

Could it be another reality in which, instead of outcomes regressing to match displays, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players might still return to peak condition.

• The main striker may begin to finding the net regularly.
• The winger could transform into the player he was during his peak.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are set to come back from the treatment room, bolstering a periodically leaky backline.

Maybe within that lies the possibility of a genuine bid, but they surely can continue to depend solely on a single individual.

Enjoying the Ride

However, this is a surprise. Nobody thought Aston Villa would sit third at Christmas. And without a doubt two months ago, nobody thought Rogers now would be spearheading a hunt for the title and appearing as an essential player for the national team.

This remarkable period must be cherished precisely because it appears so improbable. When the hero positioned himself before the home supporters at the final whistle leading the celebrations, he seemed to be loving the experience. A feeling he has rightly earned. Such periods are rare in football and must be appreciated.