It was a measure of the seriousness with which Liverpool principal owner John W Henry took Southampton’s allegations against his club of an illegal approach to Virgil van Dijk – and the potential consequences – that it was the American billionaire who oversaw Wednesday’s remarkable climbdown.

The final wording of the apology statement released on Liverpool’s website was agreed between the two leadership groups at the clubs, which at Anfield meant Henry and Mike Gordon, another key member of Fenway Sports Group.

They dealt directly with Saints chairman Ralph Krueger, and his key aides including Les Reed, the executive director.

It was an unprecedented response by Liverpool to an unprecedented problem.

Southampton were well aware that their player was being tapped up, but when multiple stories emerged this week that he had decided to join Liverpool, the view at St Mary’s was that enough was enough. Their evidence was so compelling that Liverpool had no option but to back down.