Joe Hart admitted Manchester City's defensive record has been too poor this season -- even as he gave an resounding endorsement of the dropped Vincent Kompany by saying the Belgian will soon show why he is one of the world's top centre-backs.
Captain Kompany, who was at fault for goals City have conceded to Arsenal, Middlesbrough, Barcelona and Liverpool in the last few weeks, was omitted for Wednesday's game against Leicester.
City kept just their ninth clean sheet of the Premier League campaign in a 2-0 victory but Hart believes plenty of others and not Kompany should shoulder responsibility for their problems at the back.
Whereas City had the best defensive record in the division in Roberto Mancini's final three seasons in charge and the second best last season, they have conceded more goals than Chelsea, Manchester United and Southampton in the current campaign.
"It's not been good enough -- we'd all accept that -- myself included," Hart said. "As a team we have to accept that it's not just the back four and the goalkeeper when we defend, we defend as a team.
"I don't set out to be brutally honest but I'd struggle to say things any other way. I'd always protect my team and protect my team-mates but it's pretty hard to not tell the truth when millions of people have just watched what happened."
Hart has been a cornerstone of City's side in one of the most successful periods in their history and a regular pick for England since 2010.
And he is convinced that Kompany ranks among the finest footballers he played alongside as he insisted the Belgian will soon be back in the team and back to his best.
"Vinny appreciates, same as we all do, that sometimes the manager will change the squad," the goalkeeper said. "There is no-one destined to play every single game -- I have learned that lesson.
"Vinny's an unbelievable player, one of the best I have ever played with, and this was his night off.
"I'm sure he will be back in the team again with that captain's armband, being one of the best defenders in world football."
Hart was dropped by manager Manuel Pellegrini for seven league games in November and December 2013 after he made several costly mistakes and he believes his return to form and favour shows the way for Kompany.
"It was how it went for me," he explained. "That was my path at that time -- you have to make the best of it, and I like to think I have done that."
