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A mere eight weeks prior when the Villa attacker found himself on the Sunderland turf, appearing bewildered while his coach berated him for failing to anticipate a penetrating pass. During that period, as Villa went six without a win, the question was if his displays were an indicator or a cause for the team's more general malaise.

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

In the latest match, though, the sideline response was entirely far more favourable. When the England international curled home his brace-sealing goal to reclaim Villa's lead, the boss tore off his coat, opened his arms and bellowed. Villa were on their way to ten wins in a row , after failing to win any of their first six games, find themselves only three points off the leaders Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Genuine Hopefuls?

This is an exceptionally difficult query to resolve. Past precedent, a general sense of Villa, argues against it. Furthermore, they've rarely been wholly dominant in many games, while the wins have stacked up.

Per Opta, twice all season have Villa posted an expected goals figure notably superior than the opposition. For a team who have put together 10 in a row, Villa look weirdly vulnerable – however right now the tight outcomes are going in their favour.

The Reliant Strategy

The current approach seems to be to exchange chances with the opposition and then rely on their star man to save the day with a couple of crisp finishes. It happened at Leeds, it happened against West Ham, and it happened when facing Manchester United.

His opener originated from a superb shot, curled precisely inside the goal frame from the edge of the area. For his second proved to be a somewhat messier replica of his first as he seized on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.

“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. During the latest victory, the opposition had a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. They have secured their last eight victories by the narrowest of margins. The defence has been breached in all but one of those fixtures.

Regression to the mean may well be the greatest opponent they must confront over the coming weeks. The forward, almost certainly, cannot keep on blasting the football into the top corner indefinitely.

Potential for Growth

Could it be a different scenario where, instead of outcomes regressing to match displays, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs might still return to peak condition.

• Ollie Watkins could start finding the net regularly.
• The winger could transform into the performer he was in Germany.
• The injured centre-backs are set to come back from the treatment room, strengthening an occasionally vulnerable defence.

This could contain the potential for a sustained push, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on one man.

Relishing the Unlikely

But then, this is a surprise. Few believed Villa would occupy third at Christmas. And most definitely earlier this season, nobody thought the midfielder now would be at the forefront of a championship pursuit while establishing himself as a vital player for the national team.

This remarkable period should be enjoyed for the very reason that it feels so unlikely. When Rogers faced the North End when the game ended orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be relishing every moment. A feeling he has rightly earned. These runs of form are uncommon in the sport and ought to be celebrated.