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A mere 60 days in the past when the young forward was standing on the Stadium of Light pitch, seeming perplexed while the Villa manager berated him for missing a penetrating pass. Back then, as Villa endured a six-game winless run, doubts remained if his displays were a sign or the reason for Villa's wider issues.

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

On Sunday, though, the manager's outburst was entirely decidedly more positive. As the England international drilled in his second strike to reinstate Villa's lead, the boss tore off his winter coat, threw his arms wide and shouted in triumph. The Birmingham club continued to a tenth straight victory , after failing to win any of their first six fixtures, find themselves only three points adrift of the leaders Arsenal.

Is This Team Legitimate Hopefuls?

It remains a particularly tough query to resolve. Past precedent, the traditional standing of Villa, suggests not. Moreover, they have not been entirely convincing during this run, despite the fact the positive results have accumulated.

Per Opta, in only two games has the team posted an xG notably superior than the other team. For a team which has strung together a ten-match winning streak, they appear curiously susceptible – however at the moment the margins are going in their favour.

The Winning Formula

The prevailing tactic appears to be to engage in a shootout with rivals and then rely on Rogers to save the day with some clinical strikes. This occurred away to Leeds, it happened in London, and it happened against the Red Devils.

His opener stemmed from an exquisite effort, curled precisely inside the upright from the corner of the box. The follow-up goal acted as a somewhat messier replica of goal number one as he seized on a pass from Watkins.

“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?

Logic says not. Against United, the opponents managed more shots and more direct attempts. Villa have won each of their last eight by a single goal. They have allowed goals in all but one of those fixtures.

A reversion to average may well be the most significant challenge they must confront over the coming weeks. Rogers, in all likelihood, cannot maintain blasting the ball into the net's top corner forever.

A Case for Belief

Maybe there exists an alternative path in which, rather than results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs could still return to peak condition.

• Ollie Watkins could start adding to his goal tally.
• The winger could transform into the player he was at Borussia Dortmund.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres will eventually return from injury, bolstering a sometimes shaky defensive unit.

Maybe within that lies the possibility of a genuine bid, but they surely cannot keep relying on a single individual.

Relishing the Unlikely

However, nobody expected this. Few believed Aston Villa would occupy third at Christmas. And without a doubt back in October, few could imagine 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.

The current run must be cherished for the very reason that it appears so improbable. When the hero positioned himself before the Villa faithful at the final whistle leading the celebrations, he seemed to be loving the experience. A feeling he has rightly earned. These runs of form are rare in football and ought to be celebrated.