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A mere eight weeks in the past that the Villa attacker stood on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered while the Villa manager berated him for failing to anticipate a penetrating pass. During that period, as the club went six without a win, the question was whether his displays were a sign or the source of Villa's broader struggles.

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

On Sunday, though, the manager's outburst was entirely far more favourable. As the in-form star drilled in his second to reinstate the lead for Villa, the boss tore off his jacket, spread his arms and bellowed. Villa were on their way to a 10th successive win and having failed to win their initial half-dozen matches, now sit a mere three points adrift of the leaders Arsenal.

Are They Genuine Hopefuls?

It remains a particularly tough question to answer. Past precedent, a general sense of this institution, indicates otherwise. Additionally, they've rarely been entirely convincing in many games, even as the victories have stacked up.

Per statistical analysis, twice all season has the side had an expected goals figure notably superior than the opposition. For a club that have just won a ten-match winning streak, Villa look weirdly vulnerable – yet at the moment the tight outcomes are falling their way.

The Winning Formula

Their recent policy appears to be to exchange chances with the opposition and wait for their talisman to bail them out with some precise efforts. It happened away to Leeds, it transpired in London, and again versus United.

His opener originated from a superb shot, bent just inside the upright from a wide position. The follow-up goal proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one as he seized on a pass from Watkins.

“Perhaps Rogers’ right foot is becoming like Arjen Robben’s left: just because you know he’s going to whip the ball into the top corner doesn’t mean you can stop him.”

Can It Last?

Logic says not. During the latest victory, the opposition managed more shots and more shots on target. They have triumphed in eight consecutive games by a single goal. The defence has been breached in nearly all of those matches.

A statistical correction could be the greatest opponent Villa must confront as the season progresses. The forward, surely, cannot maintain drilling the football into the net's top corner week in, week out.

Reasons for Optimism

Maybe there exists a different scenario where, instead of luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs might still find their top level.

• The centre-forward may begin to adding to his goal tally.
• Jadon Sancho might become the force he resembled in Germany.
• The injured centre-backs are set to return from injury, strengthening a periodically leaky defence.

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

Savoring the Moment

Yet, nobody expected this. Nobody thought Villa would be in the top three for the holidays. And without a doubt back in October, nobody thought the midfielder now would be leading a title charge while looking like a crucial England player.

This remarkable period should be enjoyed precisely because it feels so unlikely. When the match-winner stood in front of the North End after the match conducting the cheers, he appeared to be relishing every moment. Which he fully merits. Such periods do not happen often and must be appreciated.