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A mere eight weeks in the past when the Villa attacker found himself on the Stadium of Light pitch, seeming perplexed while his coach berated him for missing a pass in behind. At that point, as Villa failed to win in six, it wasn't clear if his performances were a sign or a cause for Villa's more general malaise.

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

This weekend, however, the manager's outburst proved to be far more favourable. After the in-form star drilled in his brace-sealing goal to reinstate his side's advantage, Emery ripped off his winter coat, spread his arms and shouted in triumph. The Birmingham club continued to ten wins in a row and despite not winning their opening six games, now sit only three points off the leaders Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Legitimate Hopefuls?

It remains a particularly tough proposition to resolve. History, the perceived status of this institution, suggests not. Furthermore, they've rarely been completely commanding this season, despite the fact the victories have accumulated.

As per statistical analysis, in only two games has the side had an expected goals figure notably superior than their opponents. For a club that have strung together 10 in a row, the Villans seem curiously susceptible – however right now the margins are swinging for them.

The Rogers Recipe

The prevailing tactic looks like to trade blows with the opposition and then rely on Rogers to rescue them with two crisp finishes. It happened at Leeds, it transpired in London, and again when facing the Red Devils.

The initial strike stemmed from a superb shot, arced precisely inside the upright from a wide position. The follow-up goal acted as a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one as he pounced 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.”

How Long Can This Continue?

Logic says not. Against United, the opponents had a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. The team has secured their last eight victories by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in nearly all of those games.

A statistical correction could be the greatest opponent the club will encounter in the near future. Rogers, almost certainly, cannot maintain drilling the ball past despairing goalkeepers week in, week out.

Potential for Growth

Perhaps there is a different scenario whereby, instead of luck running out, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Key players may yet return to peak condition.

• The centre-forward may begin to scoring again.
• The attacking talent might become the force he showed in Germany.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are due to return from injury, bolstering a periodically leaky defence.

This could contain the seeds of a genuine bid, however, it is improbable cannot keep relying on one man.

Relishing the Unlikely

But then, this is a surprise. It seemed improbable Aston Villa would sit in a Champions League place in December. And certainly two months ago, no one envisioned the young forward now would be leading a championship pursuit while looking like a crucial England player.

This winning streak must be cherished exactly since it appears so improbable. As Rogers stood in front of the North End after the match conducting the cheers, he appeared to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. Such periods are rare in football and ought to be celebrated.