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It was 60 days ago when the young forward found himself on the Sunderland turf, appearing bewildered as his coach scolded him for not reading a pass in behind. Back then, as Villa endured a six-game winless run, it wasn't clear whether his performances were a symptom or a cause for the side's wider issues.

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

In the latest match, though, the touchline reaction proved to be decidedly more positive. When the in-form star curled home his second strike to reclaim Villa's lead, the boss tore off his winter coat, spread his arms and shouted in triumph. The Birmingham club continued to a 10th successive win and despite not winning their opening six games, find themselves only three points adrift of the leaders Arsenal.

Is This Team Genuine Hopefuls?

This is a particularly tough query to answer. History, the traditional standing of this institution, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, they have not been wholly dominant in many games, while the positive results have accumulated.

As per Opta, twice all season have Villa had an expected goals figure notably superior than their opponents. For a team which has put together 10 in a row, they look weirdly vulnerable – but right now the fine lines are falling their way.

The Rogers Recipe

Their recent policy seems to be to engage in a shootout with the opposition before hoping Rogers to rescue them with some clinical strikes. It happened against Leeds, it transpired against West Ham, and once more versus Manchester United.

The initial strike stemmed from an exquisite effort, curled precisely inside the goal frame from the corner of the box. For his second proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one capitalizing on a setup by his strike partner.

“Much like Robben with his left, Rogers’ right foot has become a known threat that remains brutally unstoppable, regardless of anticipation.”

Is It Sustainable?

Common sense dictates no. During the latest victory, the opposition had a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. They have won each of their last eight by just one goal. They have allowed goals in nearly all of those matches.

A statistical correction could be the biggest rival the club will encounter in the near future. Rogers, in all likelihood, cannot maintain drilling the football past despairing goalkeepers indefinitely.

A Case for Belief

Could it be a different scenario in which, rather than results trending towards performances, the level of play rises to match the results. Key players may yet find their top level.

• Ollie Watkins could start adding to his goal tally.
• Jadon Sancho may rediscover the performer he showed at Borussia Dortmund.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are set to regain fitness, strengthening an occasionally vulnerable defensive unit.

This could contain the potential of a genuine bid, however, it is improbable can continue to depend solely on a single individual.

Savoring the Moment

But then, nobody expected this. It seemed improbable Villa would sit third at Christmas. And most definitely earlier this season, few could imagine Rogers now would be spearheading a title charge and appearing as a vital Three Lions star.

This remarkable period must be cherished precisely because it feels so unlikely. When Rogers faced the Villa faithful at the final whistle leading the celebrations, he seemed to be thoroughly enjoying it. Which he fully merits. Such periods are rare in football and must be appreciated.