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A mere two months in the past when the Villa attacker found himself on the pitch at Sunderland, seeming perplexed as his coach admonished him over failing to anticipate a through-ball. Back then, as Villa went six without a win, the question was whether his performances were an indicator or the reason for Villa's more general malaise.

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

This weekend, however, the sideline response proved to be decidedly more positive. As the England international swept in his second to reclaim the lead for Villa, Emery ripped off his winter coat, spread his arms and bellowed. The team continued to a tenth straight victory and having failed to win their opening six games, find themselves only three points behind table-toppers Arsenal.

Is This Team Serious Hopefuls?

That’s a particularly tough question to address. History, the perceived status of Villa, argues against it. Furthermore, their performances haven't been entirely convincing during this run, while the victories have piled up.

As per Opta, in only two games has the team posted an xG more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a club which has strung together ten consecutive victories, the Villans appear curiously susceptible – however right now the tight outcomes are going in their favour.

The Reliant Strategy

The current approach seems to be to engage in a shootout with rivals and then rely on Rogers to save the day with a couple of precise efforts. This occurred against Leeds, it happened at West Ham, and it happened against the Red Devils.

Rogers' first goal originated from a superb shot, arced precisely inside the post from a wide position. The follow-up goal proved to be a somewhat messier replica of his first capitalizing on a setup by his strike partner.

“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?

Logic says not. In the recent win, Manchester United had more efforts and more direct attempts. Villa have won each of their last eight by just one goal. The defence has been breached in nearly all of those matches.

Regression to the mean may well be the greatest opponent Villa will encounter as the season progresses. Their key man, almost certainly, cannot keep on thrashing his shots into the top corner forever.

Potential for Growth

Could it be an alternative path in which, instead of results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players could still find their top level.

• The centre-forward might resume finding the net regularly.
• The attacking talent could transform into the player he resembled at Borussia Dortmund.
• The injured centre-backs are set to return from injury, fortifying an occasionally vulnerable defensive unit.

Perhaps there is in that the possibility of a title challenge, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on one man.

Savoring the Moment

But then, this is a surprise. Few believed the team would sit in a Champions League place in December. And most definitely back in October, no one envisioned the midfielder as the year closed would be at the forefront of a hunt for the title while establishing himself as a crucial England player.

This remarkable period must be cherished for the very reason that it appears so improbable. As the hero stood in front of the Villa faithful when the game ended conducting the cheers, he seemed to be relishing every moment. A feeling he has rightly earned. These runs of form are uncommon in the sport and ought to be celebrated.