Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy believes that Sunderland star Jermain Defoe has an outside chance of making it into the England squad for the 2016 European Championships in France.

Defoe has been leading Sunderland's revival in recent times after bagging five goals in the last two Premier League matches, showing lethal form in front of goal all season despite his advancing years.

Murphy has been left impressed by Defoe's performances this season and believes that the 33-year-old has a chance of earning a place in Roy Hodgson's Three Lions squad for the 2016 Euros.

"It's unlikely but it's not completely out of the question," Murphy told the Colin Murray show on talkSPORT in the wake of Defoe's hat-trick against Swansea City on Wednsday.

"If he goes on a good run and keeps Sunderland up by scoring goals, you never know.

"The other factor is who is fit at the end of the season and who is playing well. At the moment you'd say [Harry] Kane, [Jamie] Vardy and [Wayne] Rooney are ahead of him. But he's scored goals at international level before, so it wouldn't be a risk."