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A mere 60 days in the past that the Villa attacker stood on the Sunderland turf, looking confused while his coach berated him for not reading a through-ball. During that period, as the club failed to win in six, it wasn't clear if his displays were an indicator or the reason of the team's more general malaise.

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

This weekend, in contrast, the manager's outburst was entirely much more joyous. As the in-form star swept in his second strike to reclaim his side's advantage, Emery tore off his coat, threw his arms wide and roared. The Birmingham club continued to a tenth straight victory , after failing to win their opening six fixtures, find themselves just three points behind pace-setters Arsenal.

Is This Team Genuine Hopefuls?

That’s a particularly tough proposition to address. History, the perceived status of this institution, suggests not. Furthermore, their performances haven't been entirely convincing in many games, despite the fact the wins have piled up.

Per Opta, on just two occasions has the side registered an xG more than 0.5 greater than the other team. For a club that have just won 10 in a row, the Villans seem weirdly vulnerable – however at the moment the margins are going in their favour.

The Winning Formula

The prevailing tactic appears to be to exchange chances with the opposition before hoping Rogers to rescue them with a couple of precise efforts. This was the case at Leeds, it transpired against West Ham, and it happened when facing the Red Devils.

His opener stemmed from a brilliant finish, arced just inside the goal frame from a wide position. For his second proved to be a somewhat messier replica of his first 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.”

Is It Sustainable?

Reason suggests otherwise. Against United, the opponents had more efforts and more shots on target. The team has won each of their last eight by just one goal. The defence has been breached in nearly all of those games.

Regression to the mean might be the greatest opponent they will encounter in the near future. Rogers, surely, will not continue to drilling his shots into the top corner indefinitely.

Reasons for Optimism

Could it be another reality whereby, instead of results trending towards performances, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Important figures could still find their top level.

• The main striker may begin to finding the net regularly.
• The winger may rediscover the force he resembled at Borussia Dortmund.
• The defensive duo are set to return from injury, strengthening a sometimes shaky backline.

This could contain the possibility of a title challenge, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on one man.

Savoring the Moment

However, nobody expected this. Nobody thought the team would be in a Champions League place in December. And certainly back in October, nobody thought the midfielder by the end of the year would be leading a title charge while looking like an essential Three Lions star.

This winning streak must be cherished for the very reason that it feels so unlikely. As the match-winner positioned himself before the North End when the game ended leading the celebrations, it was clear to be loving the experience. Which he fully merits. Such periods are rare in football and ought to be celebrated.