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In the space of 11 months, Sam Allardyce has dragged West Ham from the 19th Century into the Champions League places.

And now the Irons boss has no wish to turn back the clock as he returns to face Jose Mourinho at Stamford Bridge.

Last January Big Sam was ­scrapping for his job after poor cup exits to Manchester City and Nottingham Forest with his side in the bottom three.

But a battling ­goalless draw at ­ Stamford Bridge was the start of the recovery – even if Mourinho branded the display as “football from the 19th Century”.

Now after this comfortable win over a Leicester side who look like history under Nigel Pearson, Allardyce will take his side back across London on Boxing Day spoiling for a fairer fight.

And seeking to avoid this amazing campaign again changing course in SW6.

“We’ll wait and see,” said the Hammers boss with a smile. “Last year was the turning point – the draw at Chelsea was eventually the reason we stayed up. That’s how important it was.

“It gave the lads a huge confidence boost and a huge belief that they could hold a team like Chelsea off. We went from there to make ourselves safe in the league. We’ll see what century we’re in when we finish there this time.”

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Aaron Cresswell, one of the summer signings who has ­rejuvenated the side, insisted this game will be different. “We are going to go there full of confidence,” said the ex-Ipswich full-back.

“We are not going to go there, sit back and try to defend. We are going to go and attack them.

“We’ve got a big enough squad to handle the Christmas games. We are full of confidence and looking to take three points off any team.”

The last time West Ham were in the top four at Christmas was in 1985-86 when they finished third under John Lyall. The next two matches against Chelsea, then Arsenal, will give a big clue as to whether they have the same staying power this time.

Yet bullish Allardyce claimed the double-header could be “free hits” after his side picked up 31 points from the first 17 games.

“We challenge Chelsea and Arsenal on the back of what we’ve done up till now,” he said.

“It eases the ­pressure on us, the fact we can go there and see if we can ­challenge ourselves against two of the big boys in this league and see if we can get any points off them.

“As difficult as it might be, I think the lads are ­confident enough to think they have the ­capabilities of doing it.

(Image: Getty)

“If we don’t, it’s not going to be too much of a knock, because we know we can catch it up by beating teams who are below us, like Leicester, which we’ve done well this year.

“And the cream on top of our cake up till now is the fact we beat Manchester City here and we beat Liverpool here. It’s a nice time, I think, for us to be playing Chelsea and Arsenal.”

This lively match showed why West Ham are fourth – and Leicester must now strive to become only the third team to avoid the drop after being bottom at Christmas.

The Foxes competed well until former Hammer Paul Konchesky left his backpass short and Andy Carroll pounced for his first Premier League goal with his feet since April 2013.

Stewart Downing then took his tally to four goals this season with his 56th-minute curler when he was given too much time on the edge of the box.

And even when Pearson made a triple change after an hour, Hammers keeper Adrian made stunning saves from subs David Nugent and ­Leonardo Ulloa.

“It’s still early doors but we’ll take fourth position after 17 games,” added ­Cresswell.

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