The teenage midfielder revealed Arsenal's players held clear-the-air talks immediately after their 1-0 defeat at Sheffield United on December 30 in an attempt to resolve the team's problems.

That result looked to have ended Arsenal's title hopes and raised questions about their ability to grind out results consistently enough to challenge for major honours.

But the frank discussion in the Bramall Lane changing rooms ended with the Gunners determined to be more ruthless in close matches and Fabregas, 19, is convinced the showdown was significant in the team's development.

Since that dismal defeat Arsenal have gone on a five-match winning run that has revitalised their season.

Arsene Wenger's side have scored 17 goals in those five wins, which have included knocking Liverpool out of the FA and League Cups at Anfield and culminated in Sunday's dramatic 2-1 victory against Manchester United that breathed new life into the English Premiership title race.

Fabregas said: "After the Sheffield United game we had a talk in the dressing room and said something had to change in our mentality and we need to be stronger in every part of the game.

"We lost 1-0 that day and there were a lot of things to improve and think about and that is what we did," the Spain international added.

"Since then we have been showing everyone we have changed and nobody can stop us if we carry on playing the way we do.

"And if you win these games it gives you confidence. The team believes we can do a lot of things together and tonight it was one of them."

Despite their late heroics at the Emirates Stadium against United, Arsenal are still 12 points behind the leaders and, although he refuses to write off his side's title hopes, Fabregas admitted he was frustrated to be so far from first place.

"It is a bit annoying to beat Tottenham, Liverpool three times, Manchester United two times and draw at Chelsea and then look at the table and see they are far away. It is difficult to take.

"If we had drawn or lost against United then we could say goodbye to the Premiership. Now there is still a small chance. Until someone says to me it is over I will believe we can do it.

"We have to win something because we are Arsenal and our obligation and our target every year is to win something. The results were very positive for us because Chelsea lost, Portsmouth lost, Bolton lost, Man United lost.

"We are there. Even if we don't think about that right now, there is still a chance.

"United have been playing amazing but they still have to go to difficult places."

It was Thierry Henry's injury-time winner just minutes after Robin van Persie had cancelled out Wayne Rooney's goal that gave Arsenal renewed hope they might be able to have a say in the title race.

Fabregas is full of admiration for France striker Henry and he said: "He is unbelievable. He has always been at the top.

"He never scores less than 24 goals a season and that tells you a lot about him because he is an important player for us because of his experience.

"He scored the second last week at Blackburn which made us more relaxed and here with two minutes to go he scored again.

"It was a great cross from Emmanuel Eboue but you still have to put it into the net. That is why he is the best."