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

The Stamford Bridge outfit lost 2-1 against shock contenders Sunderland at Stamford Bridge on the weekend, with boss Enzo Maresca blaming "limited inventiveness" and his squad's passes being "subpar".

Chelsea's forwards are struggling for goals and key passes as Delap is back available in the Carabao Cup against struggling Wolves on midweek (19:45 GMT), having been absent for 10 matches since picking up the problem in the victory over Fulham in August.

Maresca commented the young striker will be phased in "gradually", and the new recruit's availability is important for a team facing questions over their mixed results, which has left the domestic cups their most realistic chance of winning a trophy this term.

Delap to Take Pressure Off Joao Pedro

Chelsea acquired Delap from Ipswich Town for £30m despite interest from Old Trafford club, St James' Park side and Everton.

Yet the young English striker was behind £55m signing Joao Pedro in the pecking order at this recent international tournament - and with valid cause.

Joao Pedro scored three goals in three outings as Chelsea won the inaugural tournament in the United States. The Brazil striker notched additional strikes and three assists in his initial four top-flight matches after joining from Brighton.

More recently, however, Joao Pedro has not scored in his past seven matches. Maresca stated he is one of a trio of players - along with engine room operators Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who presently require to be "handled carefully".

When queried about Joao Pedro's drop in output, Maresca commented: "Definitely the conditioning element is important. When you are not at peak condition it's difficult to compete, notably in this league."

"Joao Pedro is not a traditional striker that is going to score 20 goals each year. Joao's a fantastic player, he's going to score and provide assists but he's a alternative type of striker to players who get 20 to 25 goals each year like the Polish striker, the PSG forward or the Norwegian goal machine."

Additional Concerns in Chelsea's Offense

Chelsea face broader problems apart from their forwards and Joao Pedro's drought.

Attacker Cole Palmer has featured for ninety minutes twice all season and is not anticipated to feature from a groin problem until December.

Winger Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, signed from Borussia Dortmund for a £52m package, has no goals and a single assist in ten appearances. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m recruit from Manchester United, has one score in seven matches and induced an opposition error against Benfica.

Estevao Willian, the teenager, has shown promise since moving from Palmeiras for a £51m package, but has merely two scores and one setup - matching homegrown talent Tyrique George.

Attacker Marc Guiu and Seagulls temporary signing Facundo Buonanotte have one score each.

Marc Cucurella, who got seven from left-back last campaign, is yet to find the net this season. Winger Pedro Neto has one goal and two assists in his last two games, but before that found the net just once in the initial ten fixtures.

After 13 matches in various cups no attacker has over two strikes, with midfielders Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's equal leading marksmen with four goals.

Asked whether a shortage of clinical finishers means responsibility must be shared, Maresca commented: "Certainly, yes. We frequently mentioned that the quintet of attackers at the attack, we need multiple goals per player, in the way we have done last term."

Maresca has found ways to be competitive despite offensive unpredictability. Chelsea are second for set-piece goals in the Premier League, trailing by one Arsenal. In furthermore, the Blues are the pioneering side to have ten distinct net-finders in the first division this campaign.

Can Chelsea's Striker Jinx End?

Some Chelsea followers think the center-forward number - claimed by Delap in the summer - is hexed. It had been unoccupied since 2023, and squad members who sported 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 58 games
• Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 scores in 82 games
• Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five scores in 19 appearances
• Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - twenty-four strikes in 72 appearances
• Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one score in twelve matches
• Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 goals in one hundred seventy-two matches
• Franco di Santo (2008-10) - no goals in sixteen matches
• Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - a single strike in twenty-five matches
• Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - zero strikes in 20 games

A central player and defender are among those listed, and some would contend Abraham broke the curse with his record, while legendary strikers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink thrived with the number nine.

But Delap was unmoved when questioned about the hoodoo. "I'm not one [who believes in curses]," he said at the international tournament.

"In the final analysis it's a figure on the jersey of your kit. It's just a digit that has always been related to strikers so it's something that I appreciate and there's zero expectation."