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Striker Liam Delap is returning from a hamstring injury at a important period for Chelsea.

The West London club suffered a 2-1 defeat against shock contenders Sunderland at their home ground on the weekend, with manager Enzo Maresca attributing "a lack of creativity" and his team's delivery being "subpar".

Chelsea's forwards are having difficulty finding the net and key passes as Delap makes his comeback in the Carabao Cup against lowly Wolves on midweek (prime time), having missed 10 games since sustaining the injury in the success over Fulham in last month.

Maresca stated the 22-year-old will be phased in "carefully", and the recent acquisition's availability is important for a side facing questions over their mixed results, which has left the domestic cups their best opportunity of claiming silverware this campaign.

Delap to Ease Burden On Joao Pedro

Chelsea acquired Delap from the Championship side for thirty million pounds despite pursuit by Old Trafford club, the Magpies and Everton.

Yet the young English striker was behind £55 million acquisition Joao Pedro in the team ranking at this recent international tournament - and with valid cause.

Joao Pedro registered a trio of strikes in three matches as Chelsea claimed the first edition in the United States. The Brazil striker notched additional strikes and three setups in his initial four top-flight matches after moving from the Seagulls.

More of late, however, Joao Pedro has not scored in his previous seven fixtures. Maresca stated he is one of three players - along with engine room operators Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who presently require to be "protected".

When queried about Joao Pedro's decline in performance, Maresca remarked: "Definitely the conditioning element is vital. When you are not at peak condition it's challenging to excel, especially in this competition."

"Joao Pedro is not a traditional striker that is going to net twenty times annually. Joao's a excellent footballer, he's going to get goals and provide assists but he's a distinctive forward to players who get 20 to 25 goals every season like the Bayern legend, the PSG forward or the City striker."

Additional Concerns in Chelsea's Forward Line

Chelsea confront broader problems in addition to their strikers and Joao Pedro's drought.

Winger Cole Palmer has played two full matches all term and is unlikely to be back from a groin problem until December.

Wide player Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, brought in from Borussia Dortmund for a £52m package, has no goals and one goal contribution in ten games. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m acquisition from Manchester United, has a single strike in seven outings and forced an own goal against Benfica.

Estevao Willian, the teenager, has entertained since moving from Palmeiras for a fee rising to £51m, but has just two strikes and one setup - equaling homegrown talent Tyrique George.

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

Marc Cucurella, who notched seven from full-back last campaign, is still to score this campaign. Attacking player Pedro Neto has one score and two goal contributions in his last two games, but prior to that got only one goal in the first 10 games.

After thirteen games in every tournament no striker has over two strikes, with central players Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's shared top goalscorers with four goals.

Asked whether a shortage of clinical finishers means goals must come from multiple sources, Maresca said: "Definitely, yes. We repeatedly stated that the five players at the front, we need multiple goals per player, in the manner we achieved last campaign."

Maresca has found ways to compete despite offensive unpredictability. Chelsea are runner-up in free-kick and corner scores in the English top division, one behind Arsenal. In moreover, the West London club are the pioneering side to have ten distinct net-finders in the Premier League this season.

Is the Number Nine Hoodoo About to Lift?

Some Chelsea supporters think the striker's jersey - claimed by Delap in the off-season - is cursed. It had been vacant since 2023, and squad members who sported it since 2006 have found scoring difficult, including:

• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - a trio of scores in 21 appearances
• Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 scores in 58 appearances
• Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 goals in eighty-two matches
• Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five strikes in 19 appearances
• Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 scores in 72 games
• Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one goal in 12 appearances
• Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 goals in one hundred seventy-two matches
• Franco di Santo (2008-10) - no goals in 16 appearances
• Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one goal in twenty-five matches
• Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - failed to score in 20 appearances

A midfielder and backline player are part of this selection, and some would argue Abraham ended the jinx with his achievement, while famous attackers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink flourished with the striker's jersey.

But Delap was unfazed when questioned about the curse. "I don't believe [who believes in curses]," he stated at the global competition.

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