Adam Virgo insisted today there will be no repeat of the uproar at Upton Park when Albion face West Ham at Withdean tomorrow.

Virgo will be in the centre of defence for the Seagulls and Haydon Mullins in the middle of midfield for the Hammers.

Albion's top scorer was playing up front and Mullins at fullback when they were involved in an explosive confrontation at Upton Park in November.

Both players were sent-off and both clubs fined and charged for failing to control their players in what developed into a mass flare-up.

Virgo said: "It was a learning day for me. I don't know what my reception will be from them, but we are all professionals. Players get sent-off week in and week out.

"I am sure during the game it will be very competitive. Of course, there will be challenges flying in because they are in the play-off hunt and we want to stay up.

"I'll be as competitive as ever and I am sure Haydon Mullins will be just the same, but I doubt there will be any recriminations. I have forgotten about it and he probably has as well."

The fact that Virgo will be on the pitch at all emphasises how much manager Mark McGhee values him.

The versatile 22-year-old will be playing for the second game running with a torn cartilage at the back of his right knee.

Virgo suffered the injury in the first half of Albion's last home outing in a challenge with Leicester's Danny Tiatto.

He managed to get through the game and felt okay until a training session at the club's Chester hideaway last week, 48 hours before the trip to Burnley.

"I made a run and something didn't feel right straight away," Virgo said. "I went for a scan, which showed I had torn the back of my cartilage.

"On Friday I tried to have another go on it and it was giving me a lot of pain. I said I didn't feel right to play, but I only said that because I didn't want to let the team down.

"In the game there were times in the first half when I was getting a bit of pain from it, but adrenalin and our second-half performance made me forget it."

Virgo is so vital to Albion for their remaining three matches that he is being nursed through the relegation run-in "I'm with Malcolm (Stuart) Monday to Friday and then hopefully will get through 90 minutes on Saturday," he said.

"I won't lose much fitness at this stage if I am still doing work in the gym and on the bike.

"Hopefully I can delay the op until we are safe and probably have it in the summer.

"It does give me pain, but it is more an annoying pain. I can't really do much more damage to it.

"There are three games to go now and I am not going to worry too much about my injury. I'm more worried about the team getting three points and being safe as soon as possible."

Virgo's unselfish attitude extends to his international prospects. The injury caused him to pull out of the Scotland Future squad for a friendly in Austria this week. Virgo, who qualifies for Scotland through his late grandmother, made his debut for the Future squad in Germany earlier this season.

"The Germany game was more of a trial game," he said. "The players in the team were on the fringes, but the players selected for the squad for Austria were a lot stronger and players I know who have done well for their clubs.

"There is a fantastic opportunity for us all to get into the national squad and to miss that through injury is very disappointing.

"On the other hand, my club comes first and we need everybody in the situation we are in, even though I am not 100 per cent fit.

"If I had gone to Austria and hurt my knee more then I would have felt I was letting the team down for my own benefit. I would much rather us stay up than miss a game in Austria."

A repeat of ten-man Albion's surprise 1-0 win without Virgo at Upton Park will do their cause a power of good.

Can they beat the Hammers again? "Of course, why not?" Virgo said. "By all accounts against Millwall last Saturday the only difference between them getting a draw and losing was Teddy Sheringham.

"He has been a fantastic acquisition for them this season and he is going to be the man to watch. Bobby (Zamora) is coming back as well and no doubt he will get a good reception.

"Whether he starts or not is up to their manager. The way it is looking at the moment he will probably come on as sub.

"I think he'll be very disappointed if he did score against us, but I am sure he'll be doing his best.

"They are not the West Ham team of years gone by. They can be beaten. We've beaten Leeds and Sunderland at home and gave Leicester a good run for their money.

"We are going into the game with the confidence of the second half at Burnley and the home performance against Leicester."