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A mere eight weeks in the past when the Villa attacker was standing on the Stadium of Light pitch, appearing bewildered as the Villa manager admonished him over missing a penetrating pass. Back then, as the club went six without a win, the question was whether his performances were an indicator or the reason for Villa's broader struggles.

“When Rogers netted his second… Emery tore off his coat, threw his arms wide, and bellowed in delight.”

On Sunday, though, the manager's outburst was entirely decidedly more positive. After Rogers swept in his second strike to reclaim his side's advantage, the boss discarded his jacket, opened his arms and bellowed. The Birmingham club continued to a tenth straight victory and having failed to win any of their first six games, now sit a mere three points behind pace-setters Arsenal.

Is This Team Legitimate Hopefuls?

That’s a rather hard query to answer. History, the traditional standing of this institution, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, their performances haven't been entirely convincing this season, despite the fact the wins have stacked up.

As per statistical analysis, twice all season has the side had an xG significantly higher than the opposition. For a side who have strung together a ten-match winning streak, Villa appear curiously susceptible – but at the moment the fine lines are going in their favour.

The Reliant Strategy

Their recent policy seems to be to engage in a shootout with the opposition and then rely on their star man to bail them out with some crisp finishes. It happened against Leeds, it transpired in London, and again against Manchester United.

The initial strike originated from a brilliant finish, arced right inside the upright from a wide position. The follow-up goal proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of his first as he pounced on a pass from Watkins.

“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 had a greater number of attempts and more efforts on goal. Villa have won each of their last eight by the narrowest of margins. The defence has been breached in all but one of those fixtures.

Regression to the mean could be the biggest rival the club have to face over the coming weeks. Rogers, almost certainly, cannot maintain thrashing the ball past despairing goalkeepers indefinitely.

Potential for Growth

Could it be another reality whereby, instead of luck running out, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Important figures could still rediscover their best form.

• The main striker may begin to adding to his goal tally.
• Jadon Sancho might become the player he was at Borussia Dortmund.
• The defensive duo are set to come back from the treatment room, strengthening a sometimes shaky defensive unit.

Perhaps there is in that the potential for a sustained push, yet it seems unlikely cannot keep relying on one man.

Enjoying the Ride

But then, nobody expected this. It seemed improbable Villa would sit third at Christmas. And most definitely two months ago, few could imagine the midfielder now would be at the forefront of a championship pursuit while looking like a crucial player for the national team.

This winning streak should be enjoyed for the very reason that it appears so improbable. As the hero positioned himself before the home supporters when the game ended conducting the cheers, he appeared to be thoroughly enjoying it. A feeling he has rightly earned. These spells do not happen often and must be appreciated.