Morgan Schneiderlin says Everton are showing more “confidence and control” in matches away from home – and the Blues’ assured approach is helping him stitch together his finest run of form this season.

The Toffees go to West Ham United on Sunday seeking to extend their unbeaten run on the road to a fourth match and conclusively put their difficulties in recent years away from Goodison Park behind them.

Midfielder Schneiderlin has been instrumental to a wider upturn in his side's form, which sees the Blues aiming to complete the campaign in London by adding to the 15 points they have claimed from their past eight matches.

The Frenchman found his mark with 44 of his 49 passes in the draw with Southampton seven days ago, an accuracy rate of 89.8 per cent, higher than any other player who started the match.

That represented the continuation of a theme for Schneiderlin. The 28-year-old, who hit 29 of those passes into Southampton territory and also made more tackles than any of his teammates in the match, has consistently been one of Everton’s most progressive passers since returning to the side for the home clash with Manchester City in March.

He has started seven games on the bounce, playing with the tenacity, defensive awareness and attacking purpose which wowed Evertonians following his transfer from Manchester United in January 2017.

Schneirderlin was impressive in last month’s Merseyside derby, seven days before his high watermark display at Swansea, where he underlined an immaculate all-round contribution by completing 93 per cent of his 57 passes.

And he is determined to sign off on a high this weekend at the London Stadium, where three points would secure a top-eight finish for the Blues.

“It is important for us to do well at West Ham, we have come back from a difficult time and not lost any of the past five games,” Schneiderlin told evertontv.

“The time when we were a bit insecure about our position in the table has gone and now we have to finish strongly for the people around the Club – to maintain this form and create a platform for next season.

“We want to go on holiday on a good note and come back for pre-season with a good feeling.

“It is very hard to say why we were not doing so well away from home. It is a big disappointment because the away form is what has put us further down the table.

“The key is to have confidence and control when you play away from home. The home team is being pushed on by their own fans, so you need control of the ball, to not rush things and be sure of your qualities.

“Sometimes we rushed our football a bit. We should concentrate more on controlling the game and that is what we are trying to do now.”

Schneiderlin featured 14 times in the Premier League for Everton last term after his new-year switch from Old Trafford. The Toffees won nine and lost only two of those matches as the midfielder wielded a telling influence on his new side.

Former Southampton player Schneiderlin has figured in all but three of Everton’s 23 top-flight games since Sam Allardyce took charge back in November.

Allardyce admitted he “loved what he saw” from Schneiderlin in the 0-0 draw with Liverpool. And the manager heaped further praise on the 15-cap international after Schneiderlin was afforded a terrific ovation from the Goodison crowd when a dead leg forced him off early following another dynamic shift in the recent 1-0 win over Newcastle United.

The manager insisted he had identified a significant improvement in the player’s output and declared Everton are a “better team” with Schneiderlin on song and prompting his side from the centre of the park.

“That is my job – it is what I did in my first few months last year and what I try to do in every game,” said Schneiderlin.

“But there are many things that help me play well. I am a player who needs to get on the ball. I love my centre-backs and defenders to find me straight away, then I can play. I like a lot of touches on the ball.

“In the first five or six months of this season we did not have enough control of games.

“But when we have more composure and I am on the ball every minute I feel absolutely great. That is what I need and what is happening.

“My passing stats are better and you can see my qualities because I am getting more touches of the ball. And when I get more touches that is when I feel at my best.”