Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino is upbeat over Danny Rose's fitness prospects and dismissed suggestions the England full-back's knee injury will result in a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

Rose sustained the problem during last week's 0-0 draw at Sunderland and some reports claimed Spurs feared he could spend around two months on the sidelines.

The 26-year-old's visit to a specialist appears to have returned a more positive diagnosis, although Pochettino would not be completely drawn on the prospect of Rose being back by the end of February.

"I'm not a doctor but he's happy," Pochettino said at a news conference to preview Saturday's Premier League trip to Liverpool.

"We are happy after he saw the specialist. It is not a big issue. It is a minor problem, a small problem.

"We hope that as soon as possible he will be available again.

"I think there are too many rumours and you need to be patient when the players are out. That rumour [a two-month absence for Rose] is not a rumour that is true.

"We cannot control the media or the internet like this. The most important thing is he is very optimistic, we are optimistic with him. We are happy and you will see what happens in time."

Pochettino expects right-back Kieran Trippier (hip) to be available to face Jurgen Klopp's side, while fellow defender Jan Vertonghen will begin working with the first-team squad next week as he steps up his recovery from ankle ligament damage.

Spurs are the nearest challengers to runaway leaders Chelsea, with Antonio Conte's men nine points clear in the Premier League title race.

Four points separate Pochettino's men from sixth-place Manchester United and he feels others challengers can still emerge from a chasing pack that includes Liverpool in fifth.

"We are not the only team [that can challenge] realistically in the table," he said.

"We are after Chelsea and it is normal that we are a contender today. But then there are a lot of teams who are contenders and there are a lot of game ahead.

"It is true that Chelsea have a massive gap. Nine points is massive but it is not decisive."