A mere eight weeks in the past when the Villa attacker was standing on the Stadium of Light pitch, appearing bewildered as his coach scolded him over missing a penetrating pass. During that period, with the team failed to win in six, it wasn't clear whether his performances were a symptom or a cause for the side's wider issues.
“Following Rogers' second strike… Emery discarded his jacket, extended his arms, and let out a triumphant roar.”
On Sunday, though, the sideline response was entirely much more joyous. As the England international swept in his second strike to reinstate his side's advantage, the Spanish tactician discarded his coat, spread his arms and bellowed. Villa marched on to a 10th successive win and after failing to win any of their first six matches, find themselves a mere three points off table-toppers Arsenal.
It remains a particularly tough question to answer. History, the traditional standing of the club, argues against it. Moreover, they've rarely been wholly dominant during this run, while the positive results have stacked up.
Per Opta, on just two occasions have Villa registered an expected goals figure significantly higher than their opponents. For a team who have strung together ten consecutive victories, they look weirdly vulnerable – but right now the tight outcomes are falling their way.
The prevailing tactic seems to be to engage in a shootout with the opposition and wait for their star man to bail them out with two precise efforts. This was the case away to Leeds, it happened in London, and once more versus Manchester United.
His opener stemmed from a superb shot, bent right inside the goal frame from a wide position. The follow-up goal was essentially a slight scruffier version of the opener 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.”
Common sense dictates no. In the recent win, Manchester United registered more shots and more shots on target. Villa have won each of their last eight by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in all but one of those fixtures.
A reversion to average could be the most significant challenge Villa will encounter as the season progresses. Their key man, in all likelihood, will not continue to drilling his shots past despairing goalkeepers forever.
Could it be a different scenario in which, rather than luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Important figures may yet return to peak condition.
Maybe within that lies the potential for a sustained push, but they surely can continue to depend solely on a single individual.
But then, this was unforeseen. It seemed improbable Villa would sit in the top three for the holidays. And without a doubt earlier this season, nobody thought the young forward as the year closed would be at the forefront of a title charge while establishing himself as a vital player for the national team.
The current run is to be savoured exactly since it feels so unlikely. As the hero faced the Villa faithful after the match conducting the cheers, he appeared to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. These spells are rare in football and ought to be celebrated.
Elena Vance is a digital strategist and creative director with over a decade of experience in transforming brands through innovative design.