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A mere 60 days in the past that the young forward was standing on the Stadium of Light pitch, appearing bewildered while his coach berated him over not reading a pass in behind. At that point, with the team failed to win in six, doubts remained whether his performances were an indicator or a cause of the team's wider issues.

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

This weekend, though, the manager's outburst proved to be decidedly more positive. As the England international drilled in his second strike to reclaim his side's advantage, Emery tore off his coat, opened his arms and shouted in triumph. The team marched on to a 10th successive win , despite not winning any of their first six fixtures, find themselves a mere three points behind the leaders Arsenal.

Are They Serious Challengers?

That’s a rather hard proposition to resolve. The historical record, a general sense of Villa, suggests not. Additionally, their performances haven't been entirely convincing this season, while the positive results have piled up.

As per the data, on just two occasions have Villa had an xG significantly higher than their opponents. For a team who have just won 10 in a row, Villa look weirdly vulnerable – however at the moment the fine lines are swinging for them.

The Winning Formula

The prevailing tactic looks like to engage in a shootout with rivals before hoping their star man to bail them out with a couple of clinical strikes. This occurred against Leeds, it occurred in London, and once more against the Red Devils.

His opener stemmed from a brilliant finish, bent precisely inside the post from the edge of the area. The follow-up goal proved to be a slight scruffier version of his first as he seized on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.

“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.”

Can It Last?

Logic says not. Against United, the opposition had more shots and more efforts on goal. They have secured their last eight victories by a single goal. They have allowed goals in all but one of those fixtures.

Regression to the mean could be the biggest rival Villa have to face as the season progresses. Their key man, surely, cannot keep on drilling the football into the top corner indefinitely.

A Case for Belief

Could it be another reality where, instead of luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Important figures may yet return to peak condition.

• The main striker might resume finding the net regularly.
• The winger could transform into the player he resembled in Germany.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are set to return from injury, bolstering an occasionally vulnerable defensive unit.

This could contain the seeds of a genuine bid, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on a single individual.

Savoring the Moment

But then, nobody expected this. Nobody thought Villa would be in a Champions League place in December. And without a doubt back in October, no one envisioned the midfielder by the end of the year would be spearheading a championship pursuit and appearing as a crucial player for the national team.

The current run should be enjoyed precisely because it feels so unlikely. As the hero stood in front of the Villa faithful at the final whistle leading the celebrations, it was clear to be loving the experience. Which he fully merits. These runs of form are rare in football and should be relished.