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Just eight weeks in the past when the Villa attacker was standing on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered as the Villa manager admonished him for not reading a penetrating pass. At that point, as Villa went six without a win, the question was if his performances were a sign or the source of the team's more general malaise.

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

In the latest match, in contrast, the sideline response was entirely much more joyous. When the in-form star drilled in his second to reinstate his side's advantage, the Spanish tactician tore off his winter coat, opened his arms and roared. The team continued to a tenth straight victory , despite not winning their opening six games, find themselves a mere three points adrift of pace-setters Arsenal.

Is This Team Genuine Challengers?

That’s a rather hard query to answer. Past precedent, a general sense of the club, indicates otherwise. Additionally, they've rarely been entirely convincing this season, even as the victories have stacked up.

As per Opta, on just two occasions has the side registered an expected goals figure significantly higher than the opposition. For a team which has put together 10 in a row, they appear strangely fragile – but at the moment the fine lines are swinging for them.

The Reliant Strategy

Their recent policy appears to be to trade blows with an opponent and then rely on Rogers to bail them out with a couple of precise efforts. It happened against Leeds, it occurred against West Ham, and again when facing United.

The initial strike stemmed from a superb shot, arced right inside the upright from a wide position. The follow-up goal acted as a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one as he pounced 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.”

How Long Can This Continue?

Common sense dictates no. Against United, the opponents managed a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. Villa have won each of their last eight by a single goal. They’ve conceded in nearly all of those fixtures.

A reversion to average might be the biggest rival Villa will encounter over the coming weeks. The forward, almost certainly, cannot keep on drilling the football into the top corner week in, week out.

Potential for Growth

Perhaps there is another reality whereby, instead of luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players might still rediscover their best form.

• The main striker may begin to scoring again.
• Jadon Sancho might become the performer he showed at Borussia Dortmund.
• The defensive duo are set to return from injury, fortifying a periodically leaky defensive unit.

Perhaps there is in that the seeds of a genuine bid, yet it seems unlikely can persist in leaning entirely on one man.

Relishing the Unlikely

Yet, this was unforeseen. Nobody thought Aston Villa would be third at Christmas. And without a doubt two months ago, few could imagine the midfielder now would be at the forefront of a hunt for the title while establishing himself as a crucial player for the national team.

The current run should be enjoyed for the very reason that it appears so improbable. As Rogers faced the home supporters at the final whistle conducting the cheers, he seemed to be relishing every moment. A feeling he has rightly earned. These runs of form are uncommon in the sport and must be appreciated.