Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? One could forgive the Leeds United supporters for pinching themselves. The Christmas number one may have eluded a group of fans who released Bielsa Rhapsody, an ode to their coach and a parody of Queen’s 1975 hit, but Kemar Roofe’s stoppage-time winner completed an extraordinary comeback from two goals down to clinch a sixth consecutive win and, more importantly, top spot in the Championship.

Roofe sealed victory five minutes into added time after Pontus Jansson powered home an equaliser following a fine mazy run and finish by the again impressive 18-year-old Jack Clarke, a half-time substitute. Things were rosy at the interval for Villa but sloppy defending meant fine goals by Tammy Abraham and Conor Hourihane were irrelevant at the final whistle.

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The Marcelo Bielsa revolution rolls on and more good times, if history is anything to go by, are seemingly on the horizon. The last team to fail to win promotion after topping the Championship at Christmas were Watford, in 2008, and since the turn of the millennium the league leaders at the halfway stage of the season have clinched promotion on 15 occasions. After dethroning Norwich City at the summit Leeds are very much in pole position.

Presented with the statistics, Bielsa smiled, and said: “I hope we won’t be the exception. We know that all rules have exceptions; so that is why we will take precautions. We still have to play the same amount of games we have just played. In football you cannot make any provisions or anticipate [results]. That is why we will try to win the games one by one.”

This was a topsy-turvy game played at a frenetic pace from the moment John McGinn charged into a Leeds blockade from kick-off. Even before Abraham swept the opener into the roof of the net after a teasing ball by Hourihane caused havoc, Leeds, who welcomed back their captain, Luke Ayling, had another defensive headache to cope with. Barry Douglas withdrew through illness late on, forcing Bielsa into a reshuffle, with the 18-year-old Leif Davis in for his debut.

Leeds’ preparations were hampered before arriving in Birmingham too, with Patrick Bamford withdrawn from training on Saturday after taking a knock to his knee, a week after making his comeback from injury. Villa have problems of their own, with Jack Grealish again absent with a shin injury, while the Villa head coach, Dean Smith, admitted he may recall Tommy Elphick from Hull with Axel Tuanzebe his latest defender sidelined.

Leeds have made a habit of overcoming adversity this season and an excellent second half from them earned an unforgettable victory. Bielsa leapt from his bucket on the touchline after Hourihane scored and, just as he did last weekend, the Leeds coach summoned the lively Clarke, another teenager from the academy. “He was very important, because he scored our first goal and gave enthusiasm to the team,” Bielsa said.

Villa showed glimpses of magic, with Yannick Bolasie’s nutmeg on Ayling earning the seal of approval from a gushing Holte End, but 11 minutes into the second half Clarke made the desired impact. When he drove into the opposition box at speed, the 18-year-old had Ahmed Elmohamady, the Villa defender, backpedalling. Clarke sashayed into the area before finding the far corner of Ørjan Nyland’s goal. It had been coming, with Leeds unlucky not to pull a goal back before interval and Villa forced to repel swells of heavy pressure.

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That goal gave Leeds a new lease of life and, when Pablo Hernández whipped in an inviting corner, Jansson rose highest, above James Chester and Alan Hutton, to nod in the leveller on the hour mark. Suddenly Villa were winded and Leeds in the ascendency, with Nyland tipping over a devious effort by Mateusz Klich before Andrew Madley, the referee, waved away appeals for a penalty, when Glenn Whelan appeared to handle Roofe’s effort at the back post. An enthralling game in front of a sellout crowd drew to a frantic finish, with Roofe having the final say.

“We have conceded too many goals, and certainly here at Villa Park,” Smith said. “We had the 5-5 against Nottingham Forest, 2-2 against Stoke and now we’ve conceded another three goals. With the firepower we have we will score goals but we have to make sure defensively that we are better.”