Rio Ferdinand has responded to Chris Moyles’ allegations that Leeds United’s defence has been “shocking” and has “fallen apart” on Radio X.

During Moyles’ morning programme on 13 May [03h 22m], the broadcaster stated that his team Leeds had struggled since the March international break.

Daniel Farke’s side lost four of their last six regular-season Championship games, dropping into the play-offs where they now face Norwich City.

Ferdinand, who played at Elland Road for two years in the Premier League before becoming a legend at bitter rivals Manchester United, said that systems now take precedence over individuals, affecting levels of form and achievement.

Moyles declared, “Leeds United have been shocking since the international break.”

“Awful defensively, and we’ve simply fallen apart. Why do we come out from the break looking like the Stevie Wonder XI?!

“Gnonto, Summerville – they’re not scoring or performing after playing so well.”

Ferdinand answered, “The framework that teams now have is quite important.

“Now, systems take precedence over all individuals. That’s why you don’t see as many free-spirited, creative-looking athletes as you used to—the Le Tissier, Zola, or Bergkamps of this world.”

Will Leeds United recover from their dip in time?

Leeds have now reached the point when 90 minutes is the time limit to save their season.

To lose in the Championship play-off semi-finals after spending much of the season in the automatic promotion places is disheartening for supporters.

Not least for the board, which made a significant investment in the playing side, paying a record amount for Georginio Rutter, who has performed admirably at this level but was strangely placed in an unfamiliar position in Sunday’s goalless first leg.

Running out of steam in the final six games of the season and then returning to a mindset of regrouping and getting promoted in such a short period of time is a daunting job.

An anxious but electrifying atmosphere around Elland Road will beckon and separate an out-of-sorts Leeds from Wembley, and Norwich will know they can break through some very thin ice with a hustling and confident start to the second leg.

In other Leeds news, a loanee has made a public apology via social media.