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It was two months prior that the young forward was standing on the Stadium of Light pitch, looking confused as the Villa manager berated him for missing a pass in behind. Back then, with the team endured a six-game winless run, the question was if his displays were a sign or a cause for Villa's broader struggles.

“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. After the in-form star drilled in his second strike to restore Villa's lead, Emery tore off his winter coat, threw his arms wide and roared. The team were on their way to a 10th successive win and despite not winning their initial half-dozen fixtures, now sit just three points behind the leaders Arsenal.

Is This Team Serious Hopefuls?

This is a rather hard question to resolve. Past precedent, a general sense of Villa, argues against it. Furthermore, their performances haven't been completely commanding during this run, while the victories have stacked up.

Per the data, twice all season have Villa had an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a club who have put together 10 in a row, the Villans look curiously susceptible – however currently the tight outcomes are swinging for them.

The Reliant Strategy

Their recent policy seems to be to engage in a shootout with the opposition before hoping Rogers to rescue them with two clinical strikes. This was the case at Leeds, it occurred in London, and again versus United.

The initial strike stemmed from a superb shot, bent right inside the upright from a wide position. For his second acted as a somewhat messier replica of his first capitalizing 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.”

How Long Can This Continue?

Common sense dictates no. During the latest victory, Manchester United registered more shots and more efforts on goal. Villa have triumphed in eight consecutive games by the narrowest of margins. The defence has been breached in all but one of those games.

Regression to the mean might be the biggest rival they have to face as the season progresses. Rogers, almost certainly, cannot keep on thrashing the ball into the net's top corner indefinitely.

A Case for Belief

Could it be a different scenario in which, instead of luck running out, the level of play rises to match the results. Key players might still return to peak condition.

• The centre-forward could start scoring again.
• The winger could transform into the force he was during his peak.
• The injured centre-backs are set to come back from the treatment room, fortifying a sometimes shaky backline.

Perhaps there is in that the seeds of a genuine bid, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on one man.

Relishing the Unlikely

Yet, this was unforeseen. Few believed Aston Villa would sit third at Christmas. And certainly earlier this season, no one envisioned Rogers by the end of the year would be spearheading a hunt for the title while looking like a crucial player for the national team.

This winning streak must be cherished precisely because it feels so unlikely. When Rogers faced the North End at the final whistle orchestrating the applause, it was clear to be thoroughly enjoying it. A feeling he has rightly earned. These runs of form are rare in football and must be appreciated.