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A mere 60 days in the past that the Villa attacker found himself on the Sunderland turf, seeming perplexed as the Villa manager scolded him for not reading a penetrating pass. At that point, as Villa failed to win in six, doubts remained whether his performances were a symptom or a cause for Villa'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, though, the touchline reaction was much more joyous. As the England international drilled in his second to reinstate Villa's lead, Emery tore off his winter coat, threw his arms wide and roared. Villa marched on to ten wins in a row and having failed to win any of their first six games, are somehow just three points adrift of the leaders Arsenal.

Are They Legitimate Hopefuls?

This is a rather hard question to resolve. The historical record, the traditional standing of this institution, suggests not. Moreover, they have not been completely commanding during this run, while the wins have accumulated.

Per statistical analysis, on just two occasions has the side had an expected goals figure significantly higher than the opposition. For a team that have strung together a ten-match winning streak, Villa look strangely fragile – yet right now the fine lines are falling their way.

The Reliant Strategy

Their recent policy appears to be to exchange chances with the opposition and wait for Rogers to rescue them with some crisp finishes. This was the case against Leeds, it happened in London, and once more against United.

The initial strike came from a brilliant finish, bent just inside the upright from the edge of the area. His brace-completing goal proved to be a somewhat messier replica of the opener as he pounced 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.”

Is It Sustainable?

Common sense dictates no. In the recent win, Manchester United managed a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. They have triumphed in eight consecutive games by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in nearly all of those games.

A statistical correction could be the biggest rival they will encounter over the coming weeks. The forward, almost certainly, will not continue to thrashing his shots into the top corner week in, week out.

Reasons for Optimism

Maybe there exists another reality in which, instead of outcomes regressing to match displays, the level of play rises to match the results. Vital cogs might still find their top level.

• The centre-forward may begin to scoring again.
• The attacking talent could transform into the player he showed during his peak.
• The injured centre-backs are set to return from injury, fortifying a periodically leaky defensive unit.

Maybe within that lies the possibility of a title challenge, but they surely can continue to depend solely on a single individual.

Enjoying the Ride

Yet, this was unforeseen. It seemed improbable Villa would be in the top three for the holidays. And without a doubt two months ago, nobody thought Rogers by the end of the year would be at the forefront of a title charge while looking like an essential Three Lions star.

This winning streak must be cherished exactly since it seems so surreal. As the match-winner faced the North End when the game ended leading the celebrations, it was clear to be thoroughly enjoying it. A feeling he has rightly earned. Such periods are uncommon in the sport and must be appreciated.