Roberto De Zerbi wanted 30 minutes out of Adam Webster at West Ham.

Webster offered him 60 – then ended up playing 74 before suffering cramp in both calves.

But the returning defender, who celebrates his 29th birthday today, has revealed the late setback which almost added to Albion’s defensive woes.

De Zerbi went into the West Ham game without injured Igor Julio and suspended Lewis Dunk.

He had eyed Webster for some part to get him through the crisis against a dangerous Hammers side.

But Webster, who had been our for six weeks, suffered a setback in the run-up to game.

He said: “After the Tottenham game, I was meant to do my last clearance session before I got back in with the boys and I woke up on Friday morning with a virus.

“All my family had it over Christmas and I thought I had escaped it, but I didn’t.

“So on Friday I couldn’t finish the session.

“Luckily the virus didn’t last long and I trained on Sunday and Monday.

“It’s funny because on Friday I tried to do the session but I just physically couldn’t do it.

“I tried. The gaffer came over to me and asked if I could play 30 minutes against West Ham.

“I said, ‘No, I want to play 60’. I said I was ready even though I hadn’t trained, so the physios were probably having a heart attack!

“I felt good in training on Sunday and Monday.”

Webster, who had not featured since the 1-1 draw with Sheffield United on November 12, has been troubled by a calf issue this season.

He said: “I had it before the Sheffield United game, I played and then we had the break and I gave it a week to recover after that.

“But it wasn’t enough and it was frustrating.”

Webster came into the side alongside Jan Paul van Hecke, the man who has been seen as his competitor for, or even successor in, the berth alongside Dunk.

He added: “I think JP said it in the press already, we’re missing a lot.

“But everyone knows the roles and responsibilities of each position.

“The players that have come in and are playing out of position do so well and it just goes to show how well we’re coached.

“We’ve got some fantastic players in the squad.

“We said this not long ago actually.

“The Sheffield United game or maybe one before that was our first game playing together.

“Obviously we’ve been together for a while now so it’s quite strange.”

Webster said he didn’t want his Albion comeback to end.

He added: “I feel really good. I was really enjoying it out there.

“I didn’t want to come off but cramp in both your calves isn’t ideal.

“I am really happy, it’s nice to be back.”

Webster was fast-tracked into the XI in the absence of Lewis Dunk and Igor.

He said: “Sometimes when you come back it can take a while to get back in the team and that’s rightly so.

“You’ve got to build up your fitness.

“But it was good to get the opportunity to play and to get a clean sheet.

“It’s really pleasing for us. It has been hanging over our heads a bit.

“It was a really good performance.

“I think if we had won, it would have been one of the best performances under the gaffer. We can build from that.”