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It was eight weeks ago when the young forward was standing on the pitch at Sunderland, seeming perplexed as the Villa manager berated him over not reading a pass in behind. During that period, as Villa failed to win in six, the question was if his performances were an indicator or a cause for the team's broader struggles.

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

On Sunday, though, the manager's outburst was far more favourable. After Rogers swept in his brace-sealing goal to restore his side's advantage, the Spanish tactician discarded his coat, spread his arms and shouted in triumph. The team continued to a tenth straight victory and despite not winning any of their first six games, find themselves a mere three points adrift of the leaders Arsenal.

Is This Team Genuine Challengers?

It remains an exceptionally difficult query to answer. History, a general sense of Villa, argues against it. Furthermore, they've rarely been entirely convincing in many games, while the wins have stacked up.

According to statistical analysis, in only two games have Villa posted an xG more than 0.5 greater than the opposition. For a club who have strung together ten consecutive victories, they look curiously susceptible – however right now the tight outcomes are going in their favour.

The Reliant Strategy

Their recent policy appears to be to engage in a shootout with an opponent and then rely on Rogers to bail them out with some crisp finishes. It happened away to Leeds, it transpired at West Ham, and once more against Manchester United.

His opener came from a superb shot, bent just inside the goal frame from the corner of the box. For his second acted as a slightly less clean iteration of his first as he pounced 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?

Logic says not. Against United, the opponents managed a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. The team has secured their last eight victories by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in nearly all of those matches.

A reversion to average could be the biggest rival the club have to face in the near future. Their key man, in all likelihood, will not continue to blasting the football into the net's top corner indefinitely.

Potential for Growth

Maybe there exists an alternative path whereby, instead of luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs could still return to peak condition.

• The centre-forward could start adding to his goal tally.
• The attacking talent might become the force he resembled in Germany.
• The defensive duo are set to come back from the treatment room, strengthening a sometimes shaky backline.

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

Enjoying the Ride

Yet, this is a surprise. Few believed the team would be in the top three for the holidays. And certainly two months ago, no one envisioned the young forward now would be leading a hunt for the title and appearing as an essential England player.

This remarkable period must be cherished exactly since it feels so unlikely. As the match-winner faced the home supporters after the match conducting the cheers, he appeared to be thoroughly enjoying it. Which he fully merits. These spells are rare in football and ought to be celebrated.