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It was eight weeks in the past when the young forward was standing on the pitch at Sunderland, seeming perplexed while his coach scolded him for not reading a penetrating pass. At that point, as the club failed to win in six, the question was if his performances were a sign or the reason for the side's wider issues.

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

This weekend, though, the manager's outburst proved to be much more joyous. When the England international drilled in his brace-sealing goal to reclaim Villa's lead, the boss ripped off his winter coat, opened his arms and bellowed. Villa were on their way to a 10th successive win , despite not winning their opening six fixtures, now sit just three points off the leaders Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Genuine Hopefuls?

This is a particularly tough proposition to answer. Past precedent, a general sense of Villa, suggests not. Furthermore, they have not been wholly dominant during this run, while the wins have piled up.

Per statistical analysis, twice all season have Villa posted an xG significantly higher than the other team. For a team which has put together ten consecutive victories, the Villans seem weirdly vulnerable – yet right now the tight outcomes are going in their favour.

The Rogers Recipe

The prevailing tactic looks like to exchange chances with rivals and wait for their star man to save the day with a couple of clinical strikes. It happened at Leeds, it occurred in London, and it happened when facing the Red Devils.

The initial strike originated from an exquisite effort, bent precisely inside the post from the edge of the area. The follow-up goal acted as a slight scruffier version of his first as he pounced on a setup by his strike partner.

“Rogers’ right foot is now akin to Robben’s legendary left: forewarned does not mean forearmed, and stopping him is another matter entirely.”

How Long Can This Continue?

Reason suggests otherwise. Against United, the opposition managed a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. The team has secured their last eight victories by the narrowest of margins. They have allowed goals in nearly all of those fixtures.

Regression to the mean might be the greatest opponent they will encounter in the near future. Their key man, in all likelihood, will not continue to drilling his shots into the net's top corner week in, week out.

A Case for Belief

Perhaps there is another reality whereby, instead of luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs might still find their top level.

• The centre-forward might resume scoring again.
• Jadon Sancho might become the performer he showed during his peak.
• The injured centre-backs are due to return from injury, strengthening a periodically leaky backline.

This could contain the seeds of a title challenge, but they surely cannot keep relying on one man.

Enjoying the Ride

But then, this is a surprise. Nobody thought Aston Villa would sit in a Champions League place in December. And most definitely two months ago, no one envisioned the midfielder now would be spearheading a hunt for the title and appearing as an essential player for the national team.

This winning streak should be enjoyed for the very reason that it seems so surreal. When the hero positioned himself before the North End at the final whistle leading the celebrations, he appeared to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. Such periods are rare in football and must be appreciated.