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Attacker Liam Delap is recovering from a hamstring injury at a important period for Chelsea.

The Stamford Bridge outfit suffered a 2-1 defeat against shock contenders Sunderland at their home ground on recently, with head coach Enzo Maresca attributing "insufficient imagination" and his side's crossing being "not the best".

Chelsea's forwards are struggling for goals and key passes as Delap is back available in the EFL Cup against lowly Wolves on Wednesday (prime time), having sat out 10 fixtures since picking up the problem in the 2-0 win over Fulham in last month.

Maresca said the young striker will be phased in "gradually", and the new recruit's return is important for a team facing scrutiny over their unpredictability, which has left the cup competitions their primary hope of winning a trophy this season.

Delap to Share Load With Joao Pedro

Chelsea acquired Delap from Ipswich Town for a £30 million fee despite attention from Old Trafford club, the Magpies and Goodison Park team.

Yet the young English striker was second to £55m signing Joao Pedro in the selection hierarchy 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 USA. The Brazil striker scored another two and three goal contributions in his initial four top-flight matches after moving from the Seagulls.

More lately, however, Joao Pedro has failed to score in his previous seven fixtures. Maresca said he is one of three players - along with central players Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who presently require to be "protected".

When asked about Joao Pedro's drop in output, Maresca said: "Certainly the fitness aspect is important. When you are not at peak condition it's difficult to compete, 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 score and provide assists but he's a distinctive forward to players who get 20 to 25 goals each year like the Polish striker, the French superstar or [Erling] Haaland."

Wider Problems in Chelsea's Attack

Chelsea confront additional challenges beyond their strikers and Joao Pedro's goalless run.

Forward Cole Palmer has featured for ninety minutes twice all term and is unlikely to be back from a groin injury until December.

Wide player Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, acquired from Borussia Dortmund for a fee rising to £52m, has zero strikes and one assist in ten games. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m recruit from Manchester United, has one goal in seven outings and forced an own goal against Benfica.

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

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

Marc Cucurella, who got seven from defensive position last campaign, is yet to find the net this campaign. Winger Pedro Neto has a single strike and two setups in his past two matches, but prior to that scored only once in the first 10 games.

After thirteen games in all competitions no attacker has over two strikes, with central players Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's shared top goalscorers with four strikes.

Queried whether a shortage of clinical finishers means goals must come from multiple sources, Maresca commented: "Certainly, yes. We said many times that the quintet of attackers at the offense, we need multiple goals per player, in the way we have done last season."

Maresca has discovered methods to be competitive despite attacking inconsistency. Chelsea are second place for dead-ball situations in the top flight, one behind Arsenal. In furthermore, the Blues are the initial club to have ten various goalscorers in the first division this season.

Can Chelsea's Striker Jinx End?

Some Chelsea supporters think the number nine shirt - claimed by Delap in the summer - is cursed. It had been available since recently, and players who donned it since 2006 have had goal droughts, including:

• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three strikes in 21 appearances
• Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 scores in 58 appearances
• Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - thirty strikes in 82 appearances
• Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five scores in 19 appearances
• Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 scores in 72 appearances
• Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one goal in twelve matches
• Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 goals in 172 appearances
• Franco di Santo (2008-10) - failed to score in 16 appearances
• Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one goal in 25 games
• Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - failed to score in twenty matches

A central player and defender are among those listed, and some would contend Abraham broke the curse with his record, while legendary strikers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink flourished with nine on their back.

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

"Ultimately it's a number on the back of your uniform. It's just a figure that has historically been connected to forwards so it's something that I like and there's zero expectation."