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Attacker Liam Delap is returning from a thigh problem at a crucial moment for Chelsea.

The Stamford Bridge outfit suffered a 2-1 defeat against shock contenders Sunderland at their stadium on the weekend, with head coach Enzo Maresca attributing "a lack of creativity" and his side's crossing being "below standard".

Chelsea's strikers are having difficulty finding the net and key passes as Delap returns in the Carabao Cup against bottom-half Wolves on this week (evening kickoff), having been absent for 10 matches since picking up the problem in the victory over Fulham in the summer.

Maresca commented the 22-year-old will be slowly integrated "carefully", and the summer signing's return is crucial for a club facing scrutiny over their inconsistency, which has left the national tournaments their best opportunity of claiming silverware this term.

Delap to Ease Burden On Joao Pedro

Chelsea signed Delap from the Championship side for a £30 million fee despite pursuit by Manchester United, St James' Park side and Everton.

Yet the Three Lions prospect was behind £55m signing Joao Pedro in the selection hierarchy at this recent international tournament - and with valid cause.

Joao Pedro scored three goals in three outings as Chelsea secured the maiden title in the United States. The Brazil striker scored another two and three goal contributions in his initial four top-flight matches after moving from the Seagulls.

More recently, however, Joao Pedro has been goalless in his past seven matches. Maresca revealed he is one of three squad members - along with midfielders Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who currently need to be "protected".

When questioned about Joao Pedro's drop in output, Maresca remarked: "Certainly the physical part is crucial. When you are not fully fit it's hard to perform, especially in this competition."

"Joao Pedro is not a traditional striker that is going to reach twenty strikes each year. Joao's a excellent footballer, he's going to find the net and provide assists but he's a different kind of nine to ones that score 20 to 25 goals each year like the Bayern legend, [Kylian] Mbappe or the City striker."

Wider Problems in Chelsea's Offense

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

Winger Cole Palmer has completed two games all season and is not expected return from a groin problem until the winter.

Wide player Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, acquired from Borussia Dortmund for a fee rising to £52m, has zero strikes and a single assist in 10 matches. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40 million signing from Manchester United, has a single strike in seven matches and caused an own goal against Benfica.

Estevao Willian, 18, has shown promise since joining from Palmeiras for a £51m package, but has merely two scores and a single assist - paralleling homegrown talent Tyrique George.

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

Marc Cucurella, who got seven from left-back last campaign, is without a goal this campaign. Winger Pedro Neto has one goal and two setups in his last two games, but before that got only one goal in the first 10 games.

After thirteen fixtures in every tournament no attacker has over two strikes, with midfielders Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's shared top goalscorers with four strikes.

Queried whether a absence of prolific strikers means duties need distributing, Maresca said: "Absolutely, yes. We frequently mentioned that the front five at the attack, we need numerous strikes from each, in the manner we achieved last season."

Maresca has developed approaches to compete despite attacking inconsistency. Chelsea are runner-up in dead-ball situations in the English top division, trailing by one Arsenal. In addition, the West London club are the first team to have ten distinct net-finders in the first division this campaign.

Is the Number Nine Hoodoo About to Lift?

Some Chelsea followers feel the center-forward number - assigned to Delap in the off-season - is cursed. It had been available since 2023, and squad members who donned it since 2006 have found scoring difficult, including:

• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three goals in 21 games
• Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 goals in fifty-eight matches
• Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 goals in 82 appearances
• Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five strikes in nineteen matches
• Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 scores in seventy-two matches
• Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one score 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) - failed to score in 20 appearances

A central player and defensive specialist are included in this group, and some would contend Abraham ended the jinx with his achievement, while famous attackers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink flourished with the number nine.

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

"Ultimately it's a digit on the shirt of your uniform. It's just a figure that has traditionally been associated to strikers so it's something that I enjoy and there's zero expectation."