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A mere two months prior when the Villa attacker was standing on the Sunderland turf, appearing bewildered as the Villa manager scolded him for failing to anticipate a through-ball. During that period, as Villa endured a six-game winless run, the question was if his performances were an indicator or the reason of the team's more general malaise.

“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”

In the latest match, however, the sideline response was entirely much more joyous. After the England international swept in his brace-sealing goal to reclaim Villa's lead, Emery discarded his winter coat, spread his arms and roared. The team marched on to a 10th successive win , having failed to win their initial half-dozen games, now sit just three points off pace-setters Arsenal.

Is This Team Genuine Hopefuls?

This is a particularly tough query to address. History, a general sense of the club, argues against it. Furthermore, their performances haven't been entirely convincing in many games, despite the fact the victories have stacked up.

Per Opta, twice all season has the side registered an xG more than 0.5 greater than the opposition. For a side that have just won a ten-match winning streak, Villa seem strangely fragile – but right now the margins are going in their favour.

The Reliant Strategy

The current approach appears to be to trade blows with an opponent and wait for Rogers to bail them out with a couple of clinical strikes. It happened away to Leeds, it occurred in London, and again when facing Manchester United.

Rogers' first goal stemmed from a brilliant finish, bent precisely inside the post from the corner of the box. For his second acted as a slight scruffier version of goal number one 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?

Reason suggests otherwise. Against United, the opposition managed more efforts and more shots on target. They have won each of their last eight by just one goal. They have allowed goals in all but one of those fixtures.

A statistical correction may well be the most significant challenge Villa will encounter over the coming weeks. Their key man, surely, cannot keep on blasting his shots into the net's top corner forever.

Potential for Growth

Perhaps there is an alternative path in which, rather than outcomes regressing to match displays, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Important figures may yet return to peak condition.

• The centre-forward may begin to scoring again.
• Jadon Sancho might become the player he resembled at Borussia Dortmund.
• The injured centre-backs will eventually regain fitness, strengthening an occasionally vulnerable backline.

This could contain the potential of a title challenge, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on a single individual.

Relishing the Unlikely

However, nobody expected this. Few believed Villa would sit third at Christmas. And certainly back in October, few could imagine the midfielder as the year closed would be spearheading a title charge and appearing as a vital Three Lions star.

This remarkable period must be cherished for the very reason that it seems so surreal. When the hero stood in front of the North End when the game ended conducting the cheers, he appeared to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. Such periods are uncommon in the sport and should be relished.