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A mere 60 days ago that the young forward was standing on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered while the Villa manager admonished him over missing a through-ball. During that period, as Villa went six without a win, doubts remained 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 touchline reaction was entirely decidedly more positive. After the England international curled home his second to reinstate his side's advantage, the Spanish tactician ripped off his jacket, threw his arms wide and shouted in triumph. Villa marched on to a 10th successive win and after failing to win their initial half-dozen games, find themselves only three points adrift of the leaders Arsenal.

Are They Serious Hopefuls?

That’s a particularly tough query to resolve. History, the perceived status of Villa, indicates otherwise. Additionally, they have not been completely commanding in many games, even as the positive results have accumulated.

Per the data, in only two games have Villa posted an xG more than 0.5 greater than the opposition. For a club who have just won ten consecutive victories, they seem strangely fragile – yet at the moment the fine lines are going in their favour.

The Reliant Strategy

The current approach seems to be to exchange chances with an opponent and wait for Rogers to save the day with two precise efforts. It happened away to Leeds, it occurred in London, and it happened against United.

His opener stemmed from a superb shot, bent just inside the upright from a wide position. For his second acted as 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.”

How Long Can This Continue?

Logic says not. Against United, the opposition had more efforts and more efforts on goal. They have won each of their last eight by a single goal. The defence has been breached in all except one of those fixtures.

Regression to the mean could be the most significant challenge Villa have to face as the season progresses. Rogers, in all likelihood, will not continue to blasting the football into the net's top corner forever.

Reasons for Optimism

Could it be a different scenario whereby, rather than outcomes regressing to match displays, performances begin to trend towards results. Important figures might still rediscover their best form.

• The centre-forward might resume scoring again.
• The attacking talent could transform into the performer he showed in Germany.
• The defensive duo will eventually return from injury, strengthening a periodically leaky defensive unit.

Maybe within that lies the possibility of a title challenge, however, it is improbable can continue to depend solely on one man.

Relishing the Unlikely

But then, this was unforeseen. Nobody thought Villa would be in a Champions League place in December. And most definitely back in October, few could imagine the young forward now would be at the forefront of a hunt for the title and appearing as a crucial England player.

This winning streak should be enjoyed for the very reason that it feels so unlikely. As the hero stood in front of the home supporters after the match conducting the cheers, he appeared to be thoroughly enjoying it. Which he fully merits. These spells do not happen often and should be relished.