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Striker Liam Delap is recovering from a hamstring injury at a time of need for Chelsea.

The Blues suffered a 2-1 defeat against surprise package Sunderland at Stamford Bridge on the weekend, with boss Enzo Maresca attributing "limited inventiveness" and his team's delivery being "not the best".

Chelsea's attackers are having difficulty finding the net and goal contributions as Delap returns in the EFL Cup against bottom-half Wolves on midweek (evening kickoff), having been absent for 10 matches since sustaining the injury in the success over Fulham in last month.

Maresca commented the young striker will be gradually introduced "carefully", and the recent acquisition's return is crucial for a club facing scrutiny over their unpredictability, which has left the cup competitions their best opportunity of claiming silverware this term.

Delap to Take Pressure Off Joao Pedro

Chelsea signed Delap from Ipswich Town for £30m despite attention from the Red Devils, Newcastle United and Goodison Park team.

Yet the England Under-21s forward was below £55m signing Joao Pedro in the pecking order at this summer's Club World Cup - and with valid cause.

Joao Pedro registered a trio of strikes in three outings as Chelsea won the inaugural tournament in the USA. The Seleção attacker scored another two and three assists in his initial four top-flight matches after moving from the Seagulls.

More of late, however, Joao Pedro has not scored in his last seven games. Maresca revealed he is one of three players - along with central players Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who presently require to be "shielded".

When questioned about Joao Pedro's dip in form, Maresca said: "Definitely the fitness aspect is important. When you are not at peak condition it's challenging to excel, especially in this division."

"Joao Pedro is not a traditional striker that is going to net twenty times each year. Joao's a excellent footballer, he's going to find the net and provide assists but he's a distinctive forward to players who get 20 to 25 goals annually like the Polish striker, the PSG forward or [Erling] Haaland."

Wider Problems in Chelsea's Forward Line

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

Winger Cole Palmer has played two full matches all campaign and is not expected return from a groin problem until next month.

Winger Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, brought in from Borussia Dortmund for a potential £52 million deal, has failed to score and one assist in ten appearances. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40 million signing from Manchester United, has one goal in seven games and caused an own goal against Benfica.

Estevao Willian, eighteen, has shown promise since arriving from Palmeiras for a fee rising to £51m, but has just two strikes and a single assist - paralleling youth product Tyrique George.

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

Marc Cucurella, who notched seven from defensive position last term, is without a goal this campaign. Wide man Pedro Neto has one goal and two assists in his previous two fixtures, but prior to that found the net just once in the opening ten matches.

After 13 matches in all competitions no striker has over two strikes, with central players Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's joint top scorers with four.

Queried whether a lack of natural goalscorers means goals must come from multiple sources, Maresca stated: "Certainly, yes. We said many times that the five players at the front, we need numerous strikes from each, in the fashion we managed last term."

Maresca has found ways to be competitive despite attacking inconsistency. Chelsea are second for free-kick and corner scores in the top flight, one behind Arsenal. In addition, the Stamford Bridge side are the pioneering side to have ten distinct net-finders in the top flight this season.

Is the Number Nine Hoodoo About to Lift?

Some Chelsea fans feel the striker's jersey - taken by Delap in the transfer window - is jinxed. It had been unoccupied since last year, and players who donned it since 2006 have had goal droughts, including:

• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - a trio of scores in 21 games
• Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 scores in 58 appearances
• Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - thirty strikes in eighty-two matches
• Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five strikes in nineteen matches
• Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 scores in seventy-two matches
• Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - a single strike in twelve matches
• Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): forty-five strikes in 172 games
• Franco di Santo (2008-10) - zero strikes in sixteen matches
• Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - a single strike in twenty-five matches
• Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - failed to score in twenty matches

A engine room operator and defensive specialist are among those listed, and some would argue Abraham broke the curse with his achievement, while famous attackers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink excelled with the striker's jersey.

But Delap was unconcerned when queried about the jinx. "I don't believe [who believes in curses]," he said at the global competition.

"Ultimately it's a number on the back of your uniform. It's just a figure that has traditionally been associated to strikers so it's something that I appreciate and there's no added burden."