Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was convinced Manchester United players had the right mentality for their behind-closed-doors match with LASK Linz after the warm-up.
United thrashed the Austrian leaders 5-0 in their Europa League round-of-16 first leg to kill the tie, despite uncertainty over the European football calendar due to concerns about the coronavirus. La Liga, Serie A, and Ligue 1 have suspended their campaigns and the Premier League is under increasing pressure to do likewise after Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta tested positive for COVID-19. The Champions League ties between Juventus and Lyon and Manchester City and Real Madrid next week have been postponed.
Solskjaer has presided over two 11-game unbeaten runs as United manager, and they have kept nine clean sheets during their current sequence, which has included a 6-0 dismantling of Tranmere Rovers in the FA Cup, 5-0 routs of LASK and Club Brugge, and the 2-0 wins over Chelsea and Manchester City.
First-team coaches Michael Carrick and Kieran McKenna oversee the first-team's warm-ups prior to matches and were bullish when they briefed Solskjaer. "It was easy because these players are very focused," Solskjaer said.
"They know what they want, so there was no doubt in my mind that they were going to do well. After the warm-up Kieran and Michael came up to me and said the warm-up was really, really good; focused. I have to praise them, they are very professional.
"It makes it easier to get the instructions on the pitch [in an empty stadium], but of course it's weird and it's a strange feeling. We are used to playing in front of fans and used to the best fans in the world helping the boys. We haven't practised this before.
"It's a weird one, I hope it doesn't happen too often, but I have to praise the boys again; the mentality was unbelievable, really. To be so focused to do a high-profile quality job."
The Premier League announced on Thursday night all 10 fixtures between Saturday and Monday would go ahead, despite the emergence a Manchester City player was in self-isolation after a coronavirus scare.
Shortly after Arsenal confirmed Arteta had contracted COVID-19 and club personnel were in self-isolation, the Premier League stated it would hold an emergency club meeting this morning regarding fixtures.
