Sean Dyche made an instant impact with two victories over Arsenal and Leeds United in his first three games in charge, but one point from their last three matches has seen Everton slide back into the relegation zone.

We sat down with Ben Grounds, digital football journalist for Sky Sports, to get his thoughts ahead of Saturday’s game at Goodison Park.

Everton are 18th in the Premier League going into Saturday’s game against Brentford, level on 22 points with 17th-placed Leeds United, with 12 games left to play. How would you sum up the last few months?

I am staying positive. Things are looking up and, while Everton remain in the bottom three on goal difference, the same defiance supporters showed towards the end of last season is restoring optimism that all is not lost.

Just six points separate Southampton in bottom spot and Crystal Palace in 12th.

Evertonians are belatedly feeling the team - if not the club's hierarchy - are heading in the right direction.

The off-field matters have dominated the narrative surrounding the season, but fans are acknowledging that it is time everyone rolls up their sleeves.

When Brentford last visited Goodison in May 2022, the team coaches were greeted by fans lining the streets. The same will take place again on Saturday, coupled with protests against the board, and, regrettably, very little appears to have changed for the better in the intervening months.

It felt like Everton were doomed that day after Brentford came back to win 3-2, but it was the supporters who dragged the team over the line. Everton need to get back to making their home games count, and the fans have to play their part again.

Sean Dyche came into replace Frank Lampard at the helm at the end of January and has taken seven points from his first six league games in charge. How has he been received by the fans?

The Sean Dyche era has been a mixed bag so far. Victories at Goodison over Arsenal and Leeds had all the hallmarks of a Dyche team; solid defensively, a threat from set-pieces, plenty of open-play crosses - that is the blueprint for Everton's latest battle to avoid relegation.

The heavy defeat at Arsenal put the current plight into perspective, but there was plenty of fighting spirit on show at the City Ground, as Dyche's side showed they were capable of grinding out a point against Nottingham Forest.

Avoiding defeat on the road will be vital between now and the end of the season, as it will put less pressure on afternoons such as this Saturday. The 2-0 loss to Aston Villa a fortnight ago burst the growing belief that Dyche's arrival alone would turn Goodison back into a fortress, and Everton now face just one side at home who currently occupy the bottom-half positions.

Having witnessed the 2-2 draw at Forest last Sunday, there was further evidence as to why supporters were left baffled and frustrated by the lack of January business. Steve Cooper made a triple change around the 70-minute mark to inject energy into his side and Brennan Johnson levelled matters just seven minutes later. In contrast, Dyche kept things the same until the 89th minute before Neal Maupay and Tom Davies were brought on.

At Arsenal a few days earlier, the first and second-half performances were like night and day as Dyche moved to protect Idrissa Gueye at the interval. It was a case of damage limitation and preserving energy out of necessity.

There is sympathy for the problems Dyche has inherited and, given his history with Burnley on limited resources, this is a marriage which really ought to have taken place a lot sooner than now.

After the 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest last weekend, he alluded to the fact Everton have something to build on from now until the end of the season. Is there a feeling they can get themselves out of the relegation picture?

There isn't the depth to this Everton squad that often allows for complete 90-minute performances, so Dyche knows his side must score when in the ascendancy - as they did at Forest in the first half, and against Arsenal in the home fixture. His team failed to do so against Villa and were ultimately punished.

Against a Brentford side fresh from a morale-boosting derby victory over Fulham - in which they broke the deadlock early - Everton cannot afford a slow start.

There were times earlier in the season when the side showed plenty of resolve - coming back to win at Southampton - but the slide down the table had drained confidence prior to Dyche's arrival.

You do get the sense now with every game, and the pressure growing, the first goal is increasingly important. Score it first, and Everton have a good chance of avoiding defeat. Concede the opener, and it’s a long way back.

Which player should Brentford fans keep an eye on?

Abdoulaye Doucoure continued his resurgence under Dyche by scoring Everton's second at Forest. In the continued absence of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, it’s so important midfielders provide attacking threat, as Doucoure did at the start of last season under Rafa Benitez.

Demarai Gray is the team's leading scorer on four goals, no side has a lower-scoring top scorer in the competition so far this term.

Doucoure's return to the side - having been marginalised under Frank Lampard - is a timely boost.

So, too, is the form of Dwight McNeil, who has started to open his wings as an Everton player only now that he has been reunited with Dyche, his former Burnley boss. His body language has been a lot more promising and the weight of the Everton shirt - in addition to his fairly modest £15m price tag - no longer appears to hang so heavy on his shoulders.

At the time of writing, it is not certain if Calvert-Lewin will be fit for the weekend, but he will relish McNeil's delivery upon his return.

How is Dyche likely to set up his side at Goodison Park?

Another player who is expected to retain his place this weekend is Michael Keane. It appeared the centre-back was, like Doucoure, on his way out of Goodison Park in January before a change of manager brought him in from the cold. Keane has also had to cope with injuries, but his aerial presence alongside James Tarkowski will be a key weapon for Everton this weekend. With Ethan Pinnock and Ben Mee in the opposition box, it will be like the land of the giants!

Dyche is renowned for not making too many changes to his starting XI - and having avoided defeat last time out, I wouldn't be at all surprised if he went for the same team.

Ben Godfrey has, for me, always looked a better full-back than a centre-half.

Getting Gray back into the side has also been essential.

Against Forest was the first time under Dyche he has been used as an auxiliary false no.9, in part due to Maupay's struggles to fulfil that role as the lone striker.

A compact 4-5-1 system is what Dyche has settled on for now and I can’t see him wavering from that just yet.

The last meeting in August produced a 1-1 draw, with Vitaly Janelt striking six minutes from time to secure a point for the Bees. What’s your score prediction for this one?

McNeil's defensive attributes have been an important factor behind Dyche's preference of using him on the left, and it coincided with the sale of Anthony Gordon - scorer of Everton's goal in the reverse fixture. That warm summer's day seems a long time ago now!

The work of McNeil and Alex Iwobi on the opposite flank off the ball is the reason why Gray has found himself out of the side, but using them as a fluid front three could be Everton’s best route to a positive outcome on Saturday.

McNeil has often been given licence to roam, overloading the right side on one occasion last weekend, and should Everton make the most of these opportunities, I can see a third narrow home victory under Dyche. But they will have to be defensively perfect.

I’ll predict a 1-0 home win.