Murphy played in midfield and began his career in 1993. He moved to Liverpool in 1997 where he won the League Cup, FA Cup, and UEFA Cup. During his time at Liverpool he scored the winning goal against Manchester United three different times, each a 1-0 win. After brief spells at Charlton Athletic and Tottenham Hotspur, Murphy joined Fulham, whom he helped reach the 2010 UEFA Europa League Final.