Frank Lampard believes he can get Everton back on track, as the pressure grew on the former Chelsea boss following a dismal 4-1 defeat to Brighton and Hove Albion.
Everton were no match for Brighton on Tuesday at Goodison Park, as they were condemned to a fourth Premier League defeat in five games.
Having stayed up by the skin of their teeth last season, Everton sit 16th with 15 points from 18 matches.
Everton might well be in the bottom three by the time they face fellow strugglers Southampton on January 14, but Lampard believes he can turn their fortunes around.
"Since I have been in here we have been in this situation, so it's not a case of fear, it's a case of just keep working," Lampard told reporters when asked if he feared for his future.
"I can't control the talk or the decisions, when you are around this area of the table this is what happens.
"You lose a game like this, I absolutely understand any reaction. I don't listen to too much of it because if you do then it becomes your focal point, so I don't focus on it.
"I'm very confident in myself and will work to turn it around. I can't predict the future. We have to try and win games — it's all we can look at."
Lampard was appointed as Rafael Benitez's successor in January 2022. Of the 36 league games he has overseen, Everton have won just nine (25 per cent), losing 19.
Three days prior to Tuesday's defeat, Everton had frustrated Manchester City to claim a 1-1 draw at the Etihad Stadium, and Alex Iwobi believes a lack of consistency is the main issue.
"I don't think confidence is the issue," Iwobi told Sky Sports. "We showed how we can play against Man City.
"We can't be one minute good one minute bad. We've got to be consistent. The way we discussed in the changing room now is we all want to fix it.
"I'm confident we can get ourselves out of this."
Everton's hierarchy also faced ire from the fans that remained at Goodison Park on Tuesday, with chants of "sack the board" aimed at the directors' box.
Keane doubts Man Utd will crack top four under Amorim this season
Roy Keane does not believe Manchester United will get back into the Premier League's top four under Ruben Amorim this season due to a "real lack of quality".
The Red Devils legend was speaking after United started life under the Portuguese with a 1-1 draw at Ipswich Town, as Omari Hutchinson cancelled out Marcus Rashford's second-minute opener.
Keane acknowledged Amorim has to be given time to turn things around at Old Trafford, but does not see United cracking the top four this season.
"You have to give the man a chance," Keane told Sky Sports. "But the threat going forward, it's a huge problem for Man Utd. It's not good enough.
"Do I believe they have the quality to get them back to top four? Absolutely not. The evidence is not there. It's the same old stuff. Predictable and a real lack of quality."
United created 0.9 xG compared to Ipswich's 1.75 and had fewer shots on target (four) compared to Ipswich (six) at Portman Road.
They did have more touches in the opposition box (16 to 11) but had fewer final-third entries (48 to 61) and big chances created (two to three).
Ipswich were extremely resilient opponents after their early setback, and Tractor Boys boss Kieran McKenna praised his side, particularly Hutchinson after he grabbed his first Premier League goal.
"I thought he (Hutchinson) was a big threat first half, naturally more a winger, but most teams are going to press us high and in the spaces in the middle of the pitch having a dribbler in the middle of the pitch who's elusive and hard to pick up can be a big threat," he told Sky Sports.
"I think it's his first goal in the Premier League he'll be happy to have that of his back and he's improving."
"The first half, it's a blow to concede the early goal but I thought as the half went on we grew in the ascendancy, and the intensity of pressing and work on the ball.
"I thought we were the dominant team in the first half and deserved to be going in at least level. Second half in fairness, Man Utd had more control. It was difficult, we had to defend with real discipline on shape."
Hurzeler delighted by Brighton 'togetherness' in battling win
Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler was in fighting mode at full-time as he praised the Seagulls' "togetherness" in their 2-1 win away at Bournemouth.
Hurzeler's charges signed off for the international break with a 2-1 home victory over defending champions Manchester City, and they mirrored the scoreline at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday thanks to Joao Pedro and Kaoru Mitoma.
Despite his expansive and high-wire tactical approach receiving plenty of praise so far this season, it was Brighton's mental strength that caught the eye late on, after being reduced to ten players in the 59th minute through Carlos Baleba's red card.
It set up a nervy finale for the visitors, which included a 93rd-minute consolation goal from David Brooks and Antoine Semenyo smacking the bar, but the grit to get the result over the line pleased the Brighton manager.
"We have to see the performance from different viewpoints," he told Sky Sports.
"From one side of things, it was not the best football game from ourselves, but it was a good game to prove our togetherness, to show we can suffer together and defend together - that's why I'm proud of my team.
"The other side is that we can play better football. In some moments, we were lucky, in some moments, Bournemouth were better. Of course, the red card changes the game for me. That's why I am proud. We can play better football.
"We also had really good moments, we tried to play our from the back even when the pressure was really high. That's why I was pleased with some moments, but not with the whole game."
Hurzeler was also left frustrated by Stuart Attwell's decision to dismiss Baleba for a second yellow card with the visitors 2-0 in front.
"It's a clear thing. It can't be a yellow card the second one, never ever," he added. "Hopefully the referee will look at this and make a decision, and they take back the yellow card, because honestly, that's never a yellow card."
Victory moves Brighton up to fifth in the Premier League table - their highest position since mid-October - with struggling Southampton next up for Hurzeler's side.
Everton 0-0 Brentford: Frank's side hold on after Norgaard red
Ten-man Brentford held Everton to a 0-0 draw at Goodison Park for their first away point in the Premier League this season.
A red card to Christian Norgaard meant the visitors played the whole duration of the second half with a numerical disadvantage, but they kept Everton in check for a well-deserved point.
Mark Flekken was on top form to twice deny Dominic Calvert-Lewin before the break, though Yoane Wissa squandered a great chance for Brentford prior to Norgaard’s dismissal for a challenge on Jordan Pickford.
Yet Sean Dyche’s team, who have struggled for goals all season, failed to make their advantage count after the break, with a long-range strike from Idrissa Gueye and a handful of opportunities for substitute Beto the closest they came to breaking the deadlock.
Everton sit 15th with 11 points from 12 matches, while Brentford moved at least temporarily, into 10th.
The Toffees have a tough December coming up, starting with a trip to Ruben Amorim's Manchester United, while Brentford face Leicester City in their next outing.
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