A mere two months in the past when the Villa attacker was standing on the Stadium of Light pitch, appearing bewildered as the Villa manager berated him over not reading a through-ball. During that period, as Villa went six without a win, it wasn't clear whether his performances were a sign or the reason of the side's broader struggles.
“Following Rogers' second strike… Emery discarded his jacket, extended his arms, and let out a triumphant roar.”
On Sunday, though, the sideline response proved to be far more favourable. After the England international swept in his second to restore his side's advantage, the boss ripped off his winter coat, threw his arms wide and roared. The team continued to a 10th successive win and despite not winning their initial half-dozen matches, find themselves a mere three points behind pace-setters Arsenal.
This is a particularly tough proposition to resolve. Past precedent, the perceived status of this institution, argues against it. Additionally, they have not been entirely convincing during this run, while the positive results have stacked up.
According to Opta, on just two occasions has the team had an xG significantly higher than the other team. For a team who have just won 10 in a row, they appear curiously susceptible – but currently the fine lines are swinging for them.
The current approach appears to be to trade blows with the opposition before hoping their talisman to save the day with two crisp finishes. It happened at Leeds, it transpired at West Ham, and once more versus United.
Rogers' first goal stemmed from a brilliant finish, curled right inside the post from the edge of the area. The follow-up goal was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of the opener as he pounced on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.
“Rogers’ right foot is now akin to Robben’s legendary left: forewarned does not mean forearmed, and stopping him is another matter entirely.”
Common sense dictates no. Against United, the opponents managed a greater number of attempts and more shots on target. They have won each of their last eight by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in all except one of those fixtures.
Regression to the mean could be the greatest opponent Villa have to face over the coming weeks. Rogers, in all likelihood, will not continue to blasting the ball past despairing goalkeepers forever.
Maybe there exists a different scenario in which, rather than luck running out, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Important figures could still rediscover their best form.
Maybe within that lies the possibility of a title challenge, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on one man.
But then, this was unforeseen. Nobody thought Villa would be in the top three for the holidays. And certainly two months ago, few could imagine the young forward now would be at the forefront of a championship pursuit while looking like a crucial player for the national team.
This winning streak is to be savoured exactly since it appears so improbable. As the hero faced the Villa faithful at the final whistle leading the celebrations, he appeared to be relishing every moment. Which he fully merits. These runs of form are uncommon in the sport and must be appreciated.
A seasoned journalist with a passion for uncovering stories that matter in the Czech Republic and beyond.
