Liverpool still have to deal with unresolved questions arising from the Luis Suarez affair, according to a leading anti-racism campaigner.
Piara Powar, executive director of Football Against Racism in Europe, said Liverpool's defence of the Uruguay international had not been worth the effect on the club's reputation and suggested they must look again at how they manage their players.
However, he welcomed the apologies issued by the player, manager Kenny Dalglish and managing director Ian Ayre yesterday in the wake of the furore after Suarez refused on Saturday to shake hands with Patrice Evra, the man he was found guilty of racially abusing.
Liverpool, having steadfastly defended Suarez ever since allegations were made against him by the Manchester United defender on October 15, were quick to act following the weekend's incident at Old Trafford.
Condemnation both in this country and overseas, notably in the United States where the club's owners Fenway Sports Group are based, brought decisive action from the Anfield hierarchy.
The club's shirt sponsors Standard Chartered, almost halfway through a record-breaking £81million four-year deal, also raised the issue with the club.
"We were very disappointed by Saturday's incident and have discussed our concerns with the club," said a statement from the bank.
But the club hope strong statements, particularly from Ayre who criticised Suarez for misleading them over his intentions in relation to the handshake, have helped deal with the matter.
Powar said: "It's certainly taken quite a long time for Liverpool to shift into gear and really give us the three-barrelled apologies, if you like.
"It has been surprising the way they've handled it and I'm not surprised at all that finally their American owners have realised they need to step in.
"I think there are still some unresolved questions Liverpool need to look at.
"There's still some lessons for the rest of us that we need to consider in the coming weeks, but it's not too late, it's never too late to say sorry.
"I think it shows British football has a lot to do really. There's a number of questions that have struck us and one of those is clubs need to stop paying lip service and really take some of these social issues seriously.
"And they (Liverpool) need to think about how they manage star players.
"Clearly Kenny Dalglish's concern here was to manage Luis Suarez and his protestations of innocence.
"But is it enough to say Luis Suarez is a top player for Liverpool FC, therefore we have to pull out the stops and damage our own reputation?
"I don't think it is and I think that's something clubs need to look at very carefully."
Even after Suarez was banned for eight matches there was no apology or expression of regret from the player or anyone at Anfield.
That changed at the weekend with the incident played out to millions of television viewers across the world, prompting high-level discussions, also involving Standard Chartered, which led to Liverpool taking the action they did.
"The apologies are welcome, it's definitely a step in the right direction," added Powar on Sky Sports News.
"I would say it probably is time now that we started to heal, we started to look at the issues that have been thrown up and we move forward as people are calling for."
Former Liverpool player John Barnes said he understood why Suarez had been so adamant he had done nothing wrong in using a term of reference towards Evra he claimed was commonplace in South America.
But the former England international said education was the key to changing racist attitudes.
"When people say that 'ignorance is not an excuse', ignorance 100% is an excuse because we were ignorant 20 years ago and no one is taking us to task over it," Barnes told Radio 4's Today programme.
"In terms of terminologies used that aren't acceptable here, people are still using them and not in the way that we see it.
"I am interested in getting rid of racist thoughts, not just in terms of legislation.
Barnes added that the footballing authorities and politicians need to "formulate an educational plan" to tackle the problem".
Suggestions Liverpool bowed to pressure from Standard Chartered in their response to Saturday's incident have been dismissed by the club.
The Reds have insisted the processes they set in motion after the defeat at Old Trafford were fully backed, but not driven or influenced, by the bank.
"Ian Ayre kept Standard Chartered fully informed of developments over the course of the weekend," said a statement from Liverpool.
"The actions the club decided to take yesterday were supported by Standard Chartered."
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