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It was eight weeks in the past that the Villa attacker found himself on the Stadium of Light pitch, seeming perplexed as his coach scolded him for failing to anticipate a penetrating pass. Back then, as Villa went six without a win, doubts remained if his performances were a sign or a cause of the side's wider issues.

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

This weekend, though, the sideline response was far more favourable. After Rogers swept in his second strike to reclaim the lead for Villa, the boss tore off his jacket, threw his arms wide and roared. The Birmingham club were on their way to a tenth straight victory and having failed to win their initial half-dozen games, are somehow a mere three points behind the leaders Arsenal.

Is This Team Serious Hopefuls?

It remains a particularly tough proposition to address. History, the perceived status of this institution, indicates otherwise. Moreover, their performances haven't been completely commanding in many games, despite the fact the wins have accumulated.

According to Opta, on just two occasions have Villa had an xG more than 0.5 greater than the opposition. For a club who have put together 10 in a row, the Villans look strangely fragile – however currently the fine lines are swinging for them.

The Rogers Recipe

The prevailing tactic appears to be to trade blows with the opposition before hoping their talisman to save the day with two precise efforts. It happened at Leeds, it transpired at West Ham, and once more versus Manchester United.

His opener stemmed from a brilliant finish, curled precisely inside the post from the corner of the box. The follow-up goal acted as a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one capitalizing on a pass from Watkins.

“Much like Robben with his left, Rogers’ right foot has become a known threat that remains brutally unstoppable, regardless of anticipation.”

Is It Sustainable?

Common sense dictates no. During the latest victory, Manchester United registered a greater number of attempts and more shots on target. Villa have triumphed in eight consecutive games by a single goal. The defence has been breached in nearly all of those games.

A statistical correction might be the biggest rival they have to face over the coming weeks. Their key man, almost certainly, cannot keep on drilling his shots past despairing goalkeepers forever.

A Case for Belief

Perhaps there is another reality in which, instead of results trending towards performances, 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 might become the performer he was during his peak.
• The defensive duo will eventually come back from the treatment room, bolstering a periodically leaky defensive unit.

Perhaps there is in that the seeds of a genuine bid, yet it seems unlikely cannot keep relying on one man.

Enjoying the Ride

But then, this is a surprise. Few believed the team would be in the top three for the holidays. And without a doubt earlier this season, few could imagine the midfielder as the year closed would be leading a hunt for the title while establishing himself as a vital player for the national team.

This remarkable period is to be savoured precisely because it feels so unlikely. As Rogers positioned himself before the home supporters after the match orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be thoroughly enjoying it. As he deserves to. These runs of form do not happen often and should be relished.