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Striker Liam Delap is returning from a muscle issue at a important period for Chelsea.

The Stamford Bridge outfit lost 2-1 against surprise package Sunderland at Stamford Bridge on the weekend, with boss Enzo Maresca citing "a lack of creativity" and his side's crossing being "subpar".

Chelsea's strikers are finding it hard to score and key passes as Delap returns in the League Cup against struggling Wolves on this week (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 slowly integrated "carefully", and the summer signing's availability is vital for a side facing criticism over their unpredictability, which has left the cup competitions their primary hope of winning a trophy this campaign.

Delap to Take Pressure Off Joao Pedro

Chelsea signed Delap from the Tractor Boys for £30m despite pursuit by Manchester United, Newcastle United and the Toffees.

Yet the Three Lions prospect was below expensive recruit Joao Pedro in the pecking order at this summer's Club World Cup - and with good reason.

Joao Pedro registered a trio of strikes in three outings as Chelsea won the inaugural tournament in the America. The Brazilian forward added two more goals and three setups in his initial four top-flight matches after joining from Brighton.

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

When queried about Joao Pedro's dip in form, Maresca said: "Certainly the physical part is crucial. When you are not 100% it's hard to perform, particularly in this division."

"Joao Pedro is not a classic center-forward that is going to reach twenty strikes each year. Joao's a fantastic player, he's going to get goals and create chances but he's a distinctive forward to ones that score 20 to 25 goals each year like the Bayern legend, [Kylian] Mbappe or the Norwegian goal machine."

Broader Issues in Chelsea's Attack

Chelsea confront wider issues in addition to their attackers and Joao Pedro's goalless run.

Attacker Cole Palmer has featured for ninety minutes twice all campaign and is not anticipated to feature from a lower body issue until next month.

Winger Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, brought in from Borussia Dortmund for a fee rising to £52m, has no goals and one assist in ten appearances. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m acquisition from Manchester United, has a single strike in seven matches and caused an own goal against Benfica.

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

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

Marc Cucurella, who scored seven from full-back last term, is yet to find the net 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 initial ten fixtures.

After thirteen fixtures in various cups no attacker has more than two goals, with central players Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's shared top goalscorers with four strikes.

Questioned whether a absence of prolific strikers means goals must come from multiple sources, Maresca commented: "Definitely, yes. We said many times that the quintet of attackers at the offense, we need multiple goals per player, in the fashion we managed last term."

Maresca has discovered methods to be competitive despite attacking inconsistency. Chelsea are runner-up in dead-ball situations in the Premier League, one less than Arsenal. In moreover, the West London club are the pioneering side to have ten distinct net-finders in the first division this term.

Can Chelsea's Striker Jinx End?

Some Chelsea followers think the center-forward number - taken by Delap in the transfer window - is cursed. It had been unoccupied since 2023, and footballers who donned it since 2006 have struggled for goals, including:

• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three strikes in 21 appearances
• Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - fifteen strikes in 58 games
• Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - thirty strikes in 82 games
• Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five goals in 19 appearances
• 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 one hundred seventy-two matches
• Franco di Santo (2008-10) - zero strikes in 16 appearances
• Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - a single strike in 25 games
• Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - no goals in 20 appearances

A midfielder and defender are included in this group, and some would contend Abraham broke the curse with his achievement, while legendary strikers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink flourished with the striker's jersey.

But Delap was unmoved when asked about the curse. "I'm not one [who believes in curses]," he said at the global competition.

"In the final analysis it's a figure on the jersey of your uniform. It's just a number that has historically been connected to forwards so it's something that I like and there's no added burden."