The Belgian defender was at his brilliant best at Villa Park, but even his commanding display wasn’t enough to prevent Darren Bent poking home a 17th-minute winner.
Kompany was philosophical about the defeat because the manner of City’s second half display suggests only the rub of the green was missing from a match that the Blues largely dominated.
“We’re really disappointed because we gave it a real go against Villa – maybe not so much in the first half, but in the second we were all over them at times,” he said.
“The lads are down, but we know we gave it everything we’ve got but things just didn’t go our way. It’s worse if you lose and you know you’ve not performed because there is an element of frustration, but as I say, we don’t feel that is the case here.”
With Manchester United and Arsenal both brushing aside limp resistance from Birmingham City and Wigan Athletic respectively, Kompany knows City have lost vital ground on two of their closest rivals, but he doesn’t believe the damage is irreparable.
“Does this defeat end our title hopes? Well, one loss and apparently you’re out of it, and a defeat for the other teams up there and you’re back in again.
It can and probably will change on a weekly basis and nobody can predict what will happen
...Vincent Kompany.
“Credit to Villa for defending very well, but the game could easily have gone our way on another day. The season is very long and we still have some very important games to come.
“I’m not worried about how we’ll respond to losing this match because we have bounced back after previous set-backs and we’ll do it again. The Premier League has proved again that it is full of surprises and there will be more twists and turns to come, without a doubt.
“Just look how far we have come in a very short space of time. We’re in this to win it and the same applies to the FA Cup and Europa League – when was the last time this club could say that and really mean it?”
