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Striker Liam Delap is returning from a muscle issue at a important period for Chelsea.

The Blues suffered a 2-1 defeat against shock contenders Sunderland at Stamford Bridge on the weekend, with boss Enzo Maresca citing "limited inventiveness" and his side's crossing being "below standard".

Chelsea's strikers are struggling for goals and assists as Delap makes his comeback in the League Cup against lowly Wolves on midweek (evening kickoff), having been absent for 10 matches since suffering the setback in the 2-0 win over Fulham in the summer.

Maresca stated the young striker will be slowly integrated "gradually", and the summer signing's availability is vital for a team facing questions over their inconsistency, which has left the national tournaments their primary hope of winning a trophy this season.

Delap to Ease Burden On Joao Pedro

Chelsea brought in Delap from Ipswich Town for thirty million pounds despite pursuit by the Red Devils, Newcastle United and Goodison Park team.

Yet the Three Lions prospect was behind £55m signing Joao Pedro in the selection hierarchy at this global competition - and with solid justification.

Joao Pedro scored three goals in three outings as Chelsea claimed the first edition in the United States. The Brazil striker added two more goals and three goal contributions in his first four Premier League games after joining from Brighton.

More lately, however, Joao Pedro has been goalless in his previous seven fixtures. Maresca stated he is one of three players - along with central players Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who currently need to be "protected".

When asked about Joao Pedro's drop in output, Maresca said: "For sure the fitness aspect is crucial. When you are not at peak condition it's difficult to compete, particularly in this league."

"Joao Pedro is not a traditional striker that is going to reach twenty strikes each year. Joao's a excellent footballer, he's going to get goals and give assists but he's a distinctive forward to ones that score 20 to 25 goals every season like the Polish striker, the French superstar or the City striker."

Additional Concerns in Chelsea's Attack

Chelsea confront additional challenges in addition to their strikers and Joao Pedro's drought.

Attacker Cole Palmer has played two full matches all campaign and is not expected return from a lower body issue until next month.

Attacking midfielder Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, signed from Borussia Dortmund for a £52m package, has failed to score and one goal contribution in 10 matches. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m recruit from Manchester United, has one score in seven outings and forced an own goal against Benfica.

Estevao Willian, 18, has shown promise since joining from Palmeiras for a potential £51 million deal, but has just two strikes and one assist - paralleling academy forward Tyrique George.

Forward Marc Guiu and Brighton loanee Facundo Buonanotte have one goal each.

Marc Cucurella, who notched seven from full-back last term, is without a goal this season. Winger Pedro Neto has one score and two assists in his previous two fixtures, but prior to that scored only once in the first 10 games.

After thirteen fixtures in various cups no striker has over two strikes, with midfielders Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's equal leading marksmen with four strikes.

Asked whether a shortage of clinical finishers means goals must come from multiple sources, Maresca said: "Certainly, yes. We said many times that the front five at the front, we need multiple goals per player, in the manner we achieved last term."

Maresca has developed approaches to challenge despite goal-scoring variability. Chelsea are second place for free-kick and corner scores in the Premier League, one less than Arsenal. In moreover, the Blues are the first team to have ten various goalscorers in the top flight this season.

Will Chelsea's Number Nine Curse Be Broken?

Some Chelsea followers believe the number nine shirt - assigned to Delap in the transfer window - is cursed. It had been unoccupied since last year, and footballers who wore it since 2006 have had goal droughts, including:

• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - a trio of scores in twenty-one matches
• Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 goals in 58 games
• Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 goals in eighty-two matches
• Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five strikes in nineteen matches
• Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 goals in 72 games
• Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one score in twelve matches
• Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 goals in 172 appearances
• Franco di Santo (2008-10) - zero strikes in 16 games
• Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one goal in 25 games
• Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - zero strikes in 20 appearances

A engine room operator and backline player are included in this group, and some would suggest Abraham lifted the hoodoo with his performance, while legendary strikers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink thrived with the striker's jersey.

But Delap was unfazed when queried about the jinx. "I'm not the type of person [who believes in curses]," he said at the international tournament.

"At the end of the day it's a number on the back of your shirt. It's just a figure that has traditionally been associated to attackers so it's something that I appreciate and there's no pressure."