Emile Heskey showed side Liverpool fans have never seen to save Danny Murphy's life

Former Liverpool star Danny Murphy recently recalled the time Celtic defender Bobo Balde would have 'killed him', only for Emile Heskey to save his life.

Back in 2003, the Reds faced off against Celtic in the UEFA Cup quarter-finals, with Parkhead playing host to the first leg of the tie. The game finished 1-1, with Heskey, and legendary Celtic forward Henrik Larsson, scoring for their respective teams.

However, during the contest, Murphy clashed with Celtic defender Bobo Balde, who was less than pleased with the then Liverpool midfielder. So incensed was the Guinean, he tried to fight Murphy after the game when the two saw each other in the tunnel, only for Heskey to intervene, 'saving Murphy's life'.

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And recently, the former Reds star explained how Heskey displayed a different side of himself to protect his teammate. Speaking to Darren Bent on talkSPORT's 'The Shortlist', Murphy said: "We played Celtic away once. I think we'd drawn the game, it was the first leg of the UEFA Cup game and as I'm coming off the pitch, I caught Bobo Balde in the corner in the tunnel with his top off.

"Uh oh," interjected Bent. Murphy continued: "But I didn't assume it was for me! Which it was. He was going to kill me. And as I got a bit closer and he come flying towards me, Emile Heskey's jumped in, pinned him, stopped him. Emile's strength, well he's a big lad Bobo wasn't he.

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"Massive," said Bent to which Murphy replied: "He saved my life." Bent then retorted: "What did Emile say to him?"

"He just told him to calm down," said Murphy, adding: "But have you ever seen that side to him?" to which Bent simply replied: "No."

"He's got it in him you know," said Murphy.

Liverpool.com says: "Yeah, we wouldn't want to get into a fight with Bobo Balde either. During his time in Scotland, Balde was well known for being a bit of a hot head, clashing with plenty of opponents - and even his own teammates in the case of Chris Sutton, who he once threw off a treatment table...so fair play Emile!"