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Attacker Liam Delap is returning from a muscle issue at a crucial moment for Chelsea.

The Blues suffered a 2-1 defeat against surprise package Sunderland at Stamford Bridge on the weekend, with manager Enzo Maresca attributing "insufficient imagination" and his side's crossing being "subpar".

Chelsea's strikers are having difficulty finding the net and assists as Delap makes his comeback in the League Cup against bottom-half Wolves on this week (evening kickoff), having been absent for 10 matches since sustaining the injury in the 2-0 win over Fulham in last month.

Maresca commented the 22-year-old will be gradually introduced "carefully", and the summer signing's availability is crucial for a club facing scrutiny over their inconsistency, which has left the domestic cups their primary hope of winning a trophy this season.

Delap to Share Load With Joao Pedro

Chelsea acquired Delap from the Championship side for £30m despite attention from Old Trafford club, Newcastle United and Everton.

Yet the England Under-21s forward was second to £55 million acquisition Joao Pedro in the pecking order at this summer's Club World Cup - and with solid justification.

Joao Pedro scored three goals in three matches as Chelsea secured the maiden title in the United States. The Seleção attacker notched additional strikes and three goal contributions in his initial four top-flight matches after joining from Brighton.

More recently, however, Joao Pedro has failed to score in his past seven matches. Maresca said he is one of three squad members - along with engine room operators Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who presently require to be "handled carefully".

When asked about Joao Pedro's drop in output, Maresca said: "Certainly the physical part is crucial. When you are not at peak condition it's challenging to excel, especially in this division."

"Joao Pedro is not a number nine that is going to net twenty times annually. Joao's a fantastic player, he's going to score and give assists but he's a different kind of nine to those who net 20 to 25 goals every season like the Polish striker, the PSG forward or [Erling] Haaland."

Wider Problems in Chelsea's Attack

Chelsea deal with broader problems beyond their attackers and Joao Pedro's goalless run.

Winger Cole Palmer has played two full matches all season and is not anticipated to feature from a lower body issue until next month.

Attacking midfielder Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, acquired from Borussia Dortmund for a fee rising to £52m, has no goals and one goal contribution in 10 matches. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40 million signing from Manchester United, has a single strike in seven matches and caused an own goal against Benfica.

Estevao Willian, 18, has impressed since joining from Palmeiras for a £51m package, but has merely two scores and one setup - matching youth product Tyrique George.

Striker Marc Guiu and Brighton loanee Facundo Buonanotte have a single strike apiece.

Marc Cucurella, who scored seven from defensive position last campaign, is without a goal this season. Winger Pedro Neto has one goal and two assists in his past two matches, but prior to that scored only once in the first 10 games.

After thirteen games in every tournament no forward has above two scores, with engine room operators Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's joint top scorers with four strikes.

Questioned whether a absence of prolific strikers means goals must come from multiple sources, Maresca commented: "Definitely, yes. We frequently mentioned that the quintet of attackers at the offense, we need six, seven, eight, nine, 10 goals each, in the way we have done last term."

Maresca has developed approaches to be competitive despite offensive unpredictability. Chelsea are second for dead-ball situations in the Premier League, one behind Arsenal. In addition, the Blues are the initial club to have 10 different scorers in the Premier League this season.

Will Chelsea's Number Nine Curse Be Broken?

Some Chelsea followers feel the striker's jersey - taken by Delap in the transfer window - is cursed. It had been unoccupied since 2023, and squad members who wore it since the mid-2000s have found scoring difficult, including:

• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three strikes in twenty-one matches
• Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 scores in fifty-eight matches
• Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 goals in 82 games
• Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five goals in 19 games
• Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 scores in seventy-two matches
• Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one goal in twelve matches
• Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): forty-five strikes in 172 appearances
• Franco di Santo (2008-10) - zero strikes in 16 appearances
• Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one goal in 25 games
• Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - no goals in twenty matches

A midfielder and defensive specialist are among those listed, and some would suggest Abraham ended the jinx with his achievement, while legendary strikers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink thrived with the striker's jersey.

But Delap was unconcerned when questioned about the curse. "I'm not one [who believes in curses]," he commented at the Club World Cup.

"Ultimately it's a digit on the shirt of your shirt. It's just a number that has historically been connected to forwards so it's something that I enjoy and there's no pressure."