Arsene Wenger's side have only qualification for next season's Champions League to play for after losing the Carling Cup final and bowing out of the FA Cup and Champions League in the space of 11 days.

It is a test of character for a squad currently decimated by suspensions and injuries but Spanish star Fabregas believes the players will rise to the challenges ahead.

A 1-0 win at Aston Villa on Wednesday was the first step on the road to recovery and lifted them above Liverpool into third spot in the Barclays Premiership.

Fabregas said: "I feel the team is growing up and for next season will be great.

"We will benefit from the disappointment of the last two weeks. Whenever you have disappointment, you get stronger and stronger and stronger.

"We were all low after the PSV Eindhoven game. Whenever we lose it is a disappointment because we are Arsenal and we always have to be at the top.

"All our fans want us to win trophies. This year it is not going to be possible unless something strange happens in the league but we have still got belief.

"You have to recover from disappointment. It is the same when you break up with your girlfriend or something like that.

"You have to come back and be stronger in life and similar sorts of things happen in football. Now we have to learn from these mistakes."

Fabregas praised the efforts of manager Arsene Wenger to lift his young side, adding: "The manager always tries to get our heads up.

"Everyone knows last week against Eindhoven was a massive disappointment to everyone.

"He is not coming to us and saying nothing happened. Something happened which was disappointing and we have to try and learn from that and show everyone we are not going to be down. We will be stronger.

"The next two league games with Liverpool and Everton will be massive, especially Liverpool because we can take a step towards closing in on third place."

Fabregas insisted there would be no lack of motivation despite no silverware to pursue, and is still clinging to the hope Arsenal can secure second spot.

He added: "It is not hard to be motivated now. For every footballer, football is our life and what we enjoy the most. Whenever I play football, I am motivated.

"Yes, it is true at times you have bigger games than others and for us right now second place is an objective we want to try and achieve still."

Wenger wants his side to send out a message of intent in the final two months of the campaign and show that they will be ready to challenge for the Premiership title next season.

He said: "The aim is to get as high as we can. We are a bit far from Chelsea at the moment but we don't give up and the aim is to stay where we are and, if not, to climb at least a position.

"Last year we were in the Champions League final which was an extraordinary season for the club.

"But I feel what is at stake now is to show that the team is progressing and hopefully from now until the end of the season will give us belief to think we can compete for the Championship next year.

"If you look since December 1, despite all the games we have played, no-one has taken more points than us.

"In December and January we played 17 games with 11 cup games and it caught up with us in February. But, despite that, in the league we have done very well."

Defender Kolo Toure is available again following a three-match domestic suspension for Sunday's game at Everton.

However, full-backs Emmanuel Eboue (ankle) and Gael Clichy (hamstring) are struggling for fitness.

Togo striker Emmanuel Adebayor has one further game's ban to serve - but Alexander Hleb (knee) is available again and midfielder Tomas Rosicky should start.

Wenger told Arsenal TV Online: "Eboue is still out with the ankle injury he got at Blackburn and Clichy had a hamstring problem against Eindhoven.

"He has not recovered yet so Kolo is the only suspended player returning.

"Apart from that maybe Hleb will come back and Tomas Rosicky will be fit enough to be in contention to start."

It remains to be seen when Theo Walcott - an unused substitute at Villa - will have his shoulder operation.

Wenger, meanwhile, holds slime hopes Robin van Persie may be back for the closing few games of the season.

The Dutch forward, who had scored 13 goals, suffered a broken bone in his foot during the game against Manchester United on January 21.

Wenger said: "Robin van Persie was not allowed to start impact work for 10 weeks from the injury so I would say the earliest [for a return] is the end of April.

"I hope we will see him again this season but it could be very short."