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Forward Liam Delap is coming back from a hamstring injury at a important period for Chelsea.

The West London club suffered a 2-1 defeat against unexpected challengers Sunderland at their home ground on the weekend, with boss Enzo Maresca attributing "limited inventiveness" and his squad's passes being "subpar".

Chelsea's attackers are finding it hard to score and assists as Delap makes his comeback in the League Cup against lowly Wolves on this week (prime time), having sat out 10 fixtures since sustaining the injury in the success over Fulham in last month.

Maresca stated the emerging talent will be gradually introduced "slowly", and the summer signing's availability is crucial for a team facing criticism over their mixed results, which has left the domestic cups their best opportunity of claiming silverware this season.

Delap to Share Load With Joao Pedro

Chelsea brought in Delap from Ipswich Town for £30m despite interest from Manchester United, Newcastle United and Goodison Park team.

Yet the England Under-21s forward was second to £55m signing Joao Pedro in the team ranking 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 United States. The Seleção attacker notched additional strikes and three goal contributions in his first four Premier League games after joining from Brighton.

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

When asked about Joao Pedro's drop in output, Maresca said: "For sure the fitness aspect is crucial. When you are not 100% it's difficult to compete, particularly in this competition."

"Joao Pedro is not a number nine that is going to score 20 goals every season. Joao's a excellent footballer, he's going to find the net and provide assists but he's a alternative type of striker to those who net 20 to 25 goals annually like the Polish striker, the French superstar or the Norwegian goal machine."

Wider Problems in Chelsea's Attack

Chelsea face wider issues beyond their forwards and Joao Pedro's goalless run.

Attacker Cole Palmer has played two full matches all campaign and is unlikely to be back from a lower body issue until next month.

Attacking midfielder Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, acquired from Borussia Dortmund for a potential £52 million deal, has zero strikes and one assist in ten games. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40 million signing from Manchester United, has one score in seven games and induced an opposition error against Benfica.

Estevao Willian, 18, has impressed since arriving from Palmeiras for a £51m package, but has merely two scores and one assist - equaling academy forward Tyrique George.

Striker Marc Guiu and loan signing Facundo Buonanotte have a single strike apiece.

Marc Cucurella, who notched seven from defensive position last campaign, is without a goal this term. Winger Pedro Neto has one score and two setups in his past two matches, but earlier found the net just once in the initial ten fixtures.

After 13 matches in every tournament no forward has above two scores, with central players Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's joint top scorers with four.

Questioned whether a absence of prolific strikers means responsibility must be shared, Maresca stated: "Certainly, yes. We said many times that the front five at the offense, we need numerous strikes from each, in the fashion we managed last campaign."

Maresca has developed approaches to compete despite offensive unpredictability. Chelsea are second for dead-ball situations in the Premier League, one less than Arsenal. In furthermore, the Stamford Bridge side are the initial club to have ten distinct net-finders in the top flight this term.

Is the Number Nine Hoodoo About to Lift?

Some Chelsea supporters believe the number nine shirt - taken by Delap in the transfer window - is hexed. It had been unoccupied since last year, and players who wore it since 2006 have had goal droughts, including:

• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three strikes in 21 games
• Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - fifteen strikes in 58 games
• Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - thirty strikes in eighty-two matches
• Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five scores in nineteen matches
• Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 goals in 72 appearances
• 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) - failed to score in 16 appearances
• Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one goal in 25 games
• Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - no goals in 20 appearances

A midfielder and backline player are included in this group, and some would suggest Abraham ended the jinx with his record, while famous attackers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink excelled with nine on their back.

But Delap was unfazed when queried about the jinx. "I'm not one [who believes in curses]," he said at the Club World Cup.

"Ultimately it's a figure on the jersey of your kit. It's just a figure that has traditionally been associated to forwards so it's something that I enjoy and there's no pressure."