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Just 60 days in the past that the young forward found himself on the Sunderland turf, appearing bewildered as the Villa manager admonished him for not reading a pass in behind. At that point, as Villa went six without a win, the question was if his displays were a symptom or the source for the team's wider issues.

“Following Rogers' second strike… Emery discarded his jacket, extended his arms, and let out a triumphant roar.”

In the latest match, though, the touchline reaction was entirely far more favourable. When Rogers swept in his second strike to restore the lead for Villa, the boss discarded his coat, spread his arms and roared. The team were on their way to a 10th successive win , having failed to win any of their first six matches, find themselves a mere three points off the leaders Arsenal.

Are They Serious Title Contenders?

It remains a rather hard question to resolve. The historical record, the perceived status of the club, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, they have not been wholly dominant during this run, while the victories have piled up.

As per Opta, twice all season has the team posted an expected goals figure significantly higher than the opposition. For a team who have strung together ten consecutive victories, the Villans appear weirdly vulnerable – but at the moment the tight outcomes are going in their favour.

The Reliant Strategy

The prevailing tactic appears to be to trade blows with an opponent before hoping their star man to save the day with some crisp finishes. This was the case away to Leeds, it occurred against West Ham, and once more when facing the Red Devils.

His opener originated from an exquisite effort, bent right inside the post from the edge of the area. The follow-up goal proved to be a somewhat messier replica of the opener capitalizing on a setup by his strike partner.

“Perhaps Rogers’ right foot is becoming like Arjen Robben’s left: just because you know he’s going to whip the ball into the top corner doesn’t mean you can stop him.”

How Long Can This Continue?

Common sense dictates no. During the latest victory, Manchester United managed more efforts and more direct attempts. The team has secured their last eight victories by just one goal. They have allowed goals in all except one of those fixtures.

Regression to the mean could be the biggest rival Villa have to face in the near future. Their key man, surely, cannot keep on drilling his shots past despairing goalkeepers indefinitely.

Potential for Growth

Maybe there exists another reality in which, rather than results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs could still rediscover their best form.

• The centre-forward might resume scoring again.
• The winger might become the force he resembled during his peak.
• The injured centre-backs will eventually regain fitness, bolstering an occasionally vulnerable defensive unit.

Maybe within that lies the possibility of a genuine bid, but they surely can continue to depend solely on one man.

Enjoying the Ride

But then, nobody expected this. Nobody thought the team would sit in a Champions League place in December. And without a doubt two months ago, nobody thought Rogers as the year closed would be spearheading a hunt for the title while looking like a crucial player for the national team.

This remarkable period must be cherished exactly since it appears so improbable. When the hero positioned himself before the home supporters after the match leading the celebrations, he appeared to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. Such periods are uncommon in the sport and must be appreciated.