Carlo Ancelotti's Chelsea will look to retain their three-point lead at the top of the Barclays Premier with victory over relegation-haunted West Ham on Sunday.

Hammers boss Gianfranco Zola may never have arrived in the English top flight as a player with Chelsea if Ancelotti had found a way to accommodate the Italian in his Parma side back in 1996.

But Zola found himself played out of position and left for Stamford Bridge where he became a legend.

Ancelotti now accepts that he possibly made a mistake.

"I don't know why but he took a good opportunity to live a new experience," said Ancelotti.

"It was only a tactical question and nothing else. I have always maintained a good relationship with him. It was about tactics.

"Maybe it was a mistake. If I'd had more experience, I could have found a better solution for him."