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A mere two months prior that the young forward was standing on the Stadium of Light pitch, seeming perplexed as his coach berated him over failing to anticipate a pass in behind. During that period, as Villa failed to win in six, it wasn't clear whether his performances were a symptom or a cause for the team's wider issues.

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

This weekend, however, the manager's outburst was much more joyous. After Rogers drilled in his second to reclaim Villa's lead, the boss tore off his winter coat, threw his arms wide and shouted in triumph. Villa marched on to a tenth straight victory , having failed to win any of their first six fixtures, are somehow only three points off the leaders Arsenal.

Are They Genuine Hopefuls?

This is a particularly tough query to address. Past precedent, a general sense of Villa, indicates otherwise. Moreover, their performances haven't been entirely convincing this season, while the victories have piled up.

As per the data, on just two occasions has the team registered an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than the opposition. For a team that have just won ten consecutive victories, the Villans look weirdly vulnerable – yet right now the fine lines are going in their favour.

The Rogers Recipe

The prevailing tactic seems to be to trade blows with rivals before hoping their talisman to bail them out with two clinical strikes. It happened away to Leeds, it occurred against West Ham, and it happened against the Red Devils.

Rogers' first goal stemmed from a superb shot, arced just inside the goal frame from the corner of the box. The follow-up goal proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of the opener as he seized 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.”

Is It Sustainable?

Common sense dictates no. In the recent win, the opposition managed more shots and more shots on target. The team has won each of their last eight by the narrowest of margins. The defence has been breached in nearly all of those fixtures.

A statistical correction might be the biggest rival they must confront in the near future. The forward, in all likelihood, cannot keep on thrashing his shots into the top corner week in, week out.

Potential for Growth

Perhaps there is an alternative path whereby, instead of outcomes regressing to match displays, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs may yet find their top level.

• The centre-forward could start scoring again.
• The attacking talent might become the force he showed in Germany.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres will eventually regain fitness, strengthening a sometimes shaky defensive unit.

Maybe within that lies the possibility of a genuine bid, but they surely cannot keep relying on a single individual.

Enjoying the Ride

But then, this is a surprise. It seemed improbable the team would occupy in a Champions League place in December. And without a doubt back in October, few could imagine the young forward as the year closed would be leading a title charge and appearing as a crucial Three Lions star.

The current run should be enjoyed precisely because it feels so unlikely. As Rogers stood in front of the home supporters after the match conducting the cheers, he appeared to be relishing every moment. A feeling he has rightly earned. These spells are rare in football and ought to be celebrated.