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Striker Liam Delap is returning from a thigh problem at a time of need for Chelsea.

The West London club suffered a 2-1 defeat against surprise package Sunderland at their home ground on recently, with manager Enzo Maresca blaming "limited inventiveness" and his side's crossing being "below standard".

Chelsea's attackers are struggling for goals and key passes as Delap is back available in the EFL Cup against bottom-half Wolves on midweek (prime time), having missed 10 games since sustaining the injury in the 2-0 win over Fulham in the summer.

Maresca commented the 22-year-old will be phased in "carefully", and the recent acquisition's return is vital for a club facing criticism over their unpredictability, which has left the domestic cups their most realistic chance of claiming silverware this term.

Delap to Ease Burden On Joao Pedro

Chelsea acquired Delap from Ipswich Town for thirty million pounds despite attention from the Red Devils, Newcastle United and the Toffees.

Yet the young English striker was behind £55m signing Joao Pedro in the team ranking at this summer's Club World Cup - and with valid cause.

Joao Pedro found the net three times in three appearances as Chelsea won the inaugural tournament in the United States. The Brazil striker notched additional strikes and three goal contributions in his initial four top-flight matches after arriving from Brighton.

More lately, however, Joao Pedro has failed to score in his past seven matches. Maresca said he is one of three players - along with midfielders Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who at the moment demand to be "shielded".

When queried about Joao Pedro's decline in performance, Maresca commented: "Definitely the conditioning element is crucial. When you are not 100% it's hard to perform, especially in this competition."

"Joao Pedro is not a traditional striker that is going to reach twenty strikes every season. Joao's a excellent footballer, he's going to get goals and give assists but he's a alternative type of striker to those who net 20 to 25 goals annually like the Polish striker, [Kylian] Mbappe or the Norwegian goal machine."

Wider Problems in Chelsea's Offense

Chelsea confront wider issues apart from their forwards and Joao Pedro's scoreless streak.

Forward Cole Palmer has completed two games all campaign and is not anticipated to feature from a groin injury until the winter.

Winger Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, brought in from Borussia Dortmund for a £52m package, has no goals and a single assist in 10 matches. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m recruit from Manchester United, has a single strike in seven matches and forced an own goal against Benfica.

Estevao Willian, the teenager, has entertained since moving from Palmeiras for a potential £51 million deal, but has only two goals and one assist - paralleling academy forward Tyrique George.

Striker Marc Guiu and Brighton loanee Facundo Buonanotte have a single strike apiece.

Marc Cucurella, who notched seven from full-back last campaign, is without a goal this campaign. Wide man Pedro Neto has one goal and two goal contributions in his last two games, but earlier got only one goal in the opening ten matches.

After thirteen games in all competitions no forward has above two scores, with central players Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's joint top scorers with four goals.

Asked whether a lack of natural goalscorers means goals must come from multiple sources, Maresca stated: "Certainly, yes. We said many times that the front five at the offense, we need six, seven, eight, nine, 10 goals each, in the fashion we managed last campaign."

Maresca has discovered methods to challenge despite attacking inconsistency. Chelsea are second for set-piece goals in the Premier League, trailing by one Arsenal. In furthermore, the Blues are the first team to have ten distinct net-finders in the Premier League this campaign.

Will Chelsea's Number Nine Curse Be Broken?

Some Chelsea followers believe the striker's jersey - assigned to Delap in the summer - is jinxed. It had been available since last year, and squad members who sported it since 2006 have found scoring difficult, including:

• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three goals in twenty-one matches
• Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 goals in 58 games
• Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - thirty strikes in eighty-two matches
• Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five scores in 19 games
• Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - twenty-four strikes in seventy-two matches
• Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one goal in 12 appearances
• Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 goals in 172 appearances
• 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 games

A central player and defender are among those listed, and some would suggest Abraham broke the curse with his achievement, while iconic forwards such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink thrived with nine on their back.

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

"In the final analysis it's a number on the back of your kit. It's just a digit that has traditionally been associated to strikers so it's something that I appreciate and there's no pressure."