Hat-trick hero Jermain Defoe plays down talk of England recall

The 33-year-old scored three times in the crucial 4-2 win over Swansea City to give the club’s survival hopes a major boost.

Victory lifts Sam Allardyce’s side to within a point of safety, with Defoe the hero at the Liberty Stadium.

He opened the scoring after three minutes from close range before adding two more in the second half of an exhilarating contest against 10-man Swans.

Defoe now has five goals in his last two Premier League matches and nine in the league this season.

It begs the question if he has one eye on the Euro 2016 tournament and an England recall.

But modest Defoe says it is not in his power.

He added: “It is not up to me, it is up to the manager (Roy Hodgson)!”

The striker was delighted with his treble, even if there was a hint of offside about his first two strikes.

“If you get the chances you have to put them away,” said a beaming Defoe.

“I was delighted on a personal note to score a hat-trick, it was special and it was an important hat-trick too.

“Sometimes you need a little bit of luck.

“I thought I’d got one at Villa! Hopefully my good run will continue.

“You just try and enjoy your football.

“I am here to score goals, as soon as the whistle went I was running after the football!

“It is a big factor we have goals in the team, we have players that can score.”