José Mourinho believes Sam Allardyce should be named Manager of the Year if he can lead West Ham to a fourth place finish.

The Hammers spent Christmas in the top four for the first time since 1985-86 and visit league leaders Chelsea on Boxing Day.

"If they finish in the top four, manager of the season is Big Sam and team of the season is West Ham because it would be an amazing achievement compared with the investment other teams did. But why not, why not?"

"Chelsea is top of the league and deserves [the praise] and after us, West Ham because to be fourth, and for a team that everyone was expecting them to fight for survival, is a fantastic achievement.

Mourinho suggested he regretted his criticism of West Ham last season by calling it "silly words" and thinks that Allardyce has proved to his critics that he is no long-ball dinosaur.

He added: "Big Sam is showing now he is not a defensive coach, who only knows how to play defensive and direct and long balls. He is now giving a different image of himself.

"He has a big history in the Premier League. Now this season he is giving not just the image of a very competitive coach that plays in a certain way. He is playing in a different way and that is what he deserves. He has a fantastic career in the Premier League.

"He has my respect. Last season I had a couple of words about the fact the start wasting time after two minutes of the game, which I don't like, but I respect him as a coach and am happy he is doing well."