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Forward Liam Delap is recovering from a thigh problem at a time of need for Chelsea.

The Stamford Bridge outfit suffered a 2-1 defeat against surprise package Sunderland at Stamford Bridge on the weekend, with head coach Enzo Maresca blaming "insufficient imagination" and his squad's passes being "below standard".

Chelsea's strikers are finding it hard to score and assists as Delap makes his comeback in the EFL Cup against struggling Wolves on Wednesday (19:45 GMT), having missed 10 games since sustaining the injury in the success over Fulham in the summer.

Maresca stated the 22-year-old will be gradually introduced "slowly", and the summer signing's comeback is vital for a side facing questions over their inconsistency, which has left the national tournaments their best opportunity of securing honors this term.

Delap to Ease Burden On Joao Pedro

Chelsea brought in Delap from Ipswich Town for £30m despite pursuit by the Red Devils, the Magpies and the Toffees.

Yet the England Under-21s forward was behind £55m signing Joao Pedro in the pecking order at this global competition - and with valid cause.

Joao Pedro registered a trio of strikes in three appearances as Chelsea claimed the first edition in the USA. The Brazilian forward added two more goals and three setups in his first four Premier League games after joining from Brighton.

More recently, however, Joao Pedro has been goalless in his previous seven fixtures. Maresca revealed he is one of three players - along with central players Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who at the moment demand to be "shielded".

When questioned about Joao Pedro's decline in performance, Maresca commented: "For sure the conditioning element is vital. When you are not 100% it's challenging to excel, particularly in this division."

"Joao Pedro is not a classic center-forward that is going to reach twenty strikes every season. Joao's a fantastic player, he's going to score and create chances but he's a distinctive forward to those who net 20 to 25 goals each year like the Bayern legend, [Kylian] Mbappe or [Erling] Haaland."

Wider Problems in Chelsea's Forward Line

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

Winger Cole Palmer has completed two games all season and is not expected return from a groin problem until the winter.

Attacking midfielder Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, signed from Borussia Dortmund for a potential £52 million deal, has failed to score and one assist in ten games. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m recruit from Manchester United, has one goal in seven matches and caused an own goal against Benfica.

Estevao Willian, 18, has impressed since moving from Palmeiras for a fee rising to £51m, but has only two goals and one assist - matching academy forward Tyrique George.

Attacker Marc Guiu and Seagulls temporary signing Facundo Buonanotte have a single strike apiece.

Marc Cucurella, who got seven from left-back last season, is still to score this term. Wide man Pedro Neto has one score and two assists in his last two games, but earlier found the net just once in the first 10 games.

After thirteen fixtures in every tournament no attacker has above two scores, with central players Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's equal leading marksmen with four strikes.

Questioned whether a shortage of clinical finishers means responsibility must be shared, Maresca commented: "Absolutely, yes. We frequently mentioned that the quintet of attackers at the offense, we need six, seven, eight, nine, 10 goals each, in the manner we achieved last term."

Maresca has found ways to compete despite attacking inconsistency. Chelsea are second for dead-ball situations in the English top division, trailing by one Arsenal. In furthermore, the West London club are the pioneering side to have ten distinct net-finders in the first division this season.

Can Chelsea's Striker Jinx End?

Some Chelsea followers think the center-forward number - claimed by Delap in the summer - is jinxed. It had been vacant since recently, and squad members who sported it since 2006 have found scoring difficult, including:

• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three strikes in twenty-one matches
• Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 goals in 58 appearances
• Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 goals in 82 appearances
• Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five goals in 19 games
• Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 scores in 72 games
• Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one goal in twelve matches
• Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): forty-five strikes in one hundred seventy-two matches
• Franco di Santo (2008-10) - zero strikes in 16 games
• Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one score in 25 games
• Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - zero strikes in twenty matches

A engine room operator and defensive specialist are included in this group, and some would argue Abraham broke the curse with his achievement, while legendary strikers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink flourished with the number nine.

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

"At the end of the day it's a figure on the jersey of your shirt. It's just a digit that has traditionally been associated to forwards so it's something that I enjoy and there's zero expectation."