Graham Potter knows that the absence of fans in Premier League stadiums starting from next week will have an effect on the sport but says his players will be able to cope.
The unique set of circumstances mean the side will face Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool, Manchester City and Newcastle United all without home fans on the south coast.
He said, “The game is essentially about how the crowd interacts with the game, that’s what makes the challenge of the sport – they can make a big difference.
“If you have tens of thousands of people in a crowd and they’re with you then it can make a big difference. They’re supporting you and it can make it tough for the away side.
“That’s a big factor, if you take it away then it makes sense that home advantage becomes less. I understand that, the players understand that, and we have to be ready for that.
“The players aren’t complaining, they understand the situation. We’d all want to be playing with fans in the ground, but we have to get used to it.
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The head coach also spoke about how matchday preparations for his men will have a different feel in the coming weeks.
“We will see changes, when it comes to things like travel it will be about whether you decide to stay overnight or travel on the day – you’re trying to reduce contact with people outside of your bubble,” he added.
“Pre-match is different too because everyone would usually sit around and you can speak to each other in a close environment, but now we have to distance.
“Essentially every part of the routine apart from playing a game is about adhering to social distancing – that’s something we have to understand and adapt to, it’s not a problem, but we have to make sure we do it well.”