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

The Blues suffered a 2-1 defeat against shock contenders Sunderland at their stadium on Saturday, with boss Enzo Maresca blaming "a lack of creativity" and his side's crossing being "below standard".

Chelsea's forwards are finding it hard to score and assists as Delap is back available in the League Cup against lowly Wolves on Wednesday (prime time), having been absent for 10 matches since suffering the setback in the victory over Fulham in August.

Maresca commented the 22-year-old will be slowly integrated "slowly", and the new recruit's comeback is crucial for a team facing questions over their unpredictability, which has left the domestic cups their most realistic chance of securing honors this campaign.

Delap to Share Load With Joao Pedro

Chelsea signed Delap from the Tractor Boys for a £30 million fee despite attention from the Red Devils, the Magpies and Everton.

Yet the England Under-21s forward was second to £55 million acquisition Joao Pedro in the team ranking at this summer's Club World Cup - and with good reason.

Joao Pedro registered a trio of strikes in three appearances as Chelsea claimed the first edition in the United States. The Seleção attacker notched additional strikes and three assists in his first four Premier League games after moving from the Seagulls.

More lately, however, Joao Pedro has been goalless in his last seven games. Maresca said he is one of three players - along with engine room operators Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who at the moment demand to be "protected".

When queried about Joao Pedro's dip in form, Maresca said: "Certainly the fitness aspect is crucial. When you are not at peak condition it's hard to perform, particularly in this competition."

"Joao Pedro is not a traditional striker that is going to score 20 goals annually. Joao's a superb talent, he's going to find the net and provide assists but he's a distinctive forward to those who net 20 to 25 goals each year like the Polish striker, the French superstar or the Norwegian goal machine."

Additional Concerns in Chelsea's Forward Line

Chelsea confront additional challenges apart from their attackers and Joao Pedro's scoreless streak.

Forward Cole Palmer has featured for ninety minutes twice all campaign and is unlikely to be back from a lower body issue until December.

Winger Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, acquired from Borussia Dortmund for a £52m package, has no goals and one goal contribution in ten appearances. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m acquisition from Manchester United, has one goal in seven outings and induced an opposition error against Benfica.

Estevao Willian, the teenager, has impressed since joining from Palmeiras for a fee rising to £51m, but has merely two scores and a single assist - paralleling homegrown talent Tyrique George.

Attacker Marc Guiu and Brighton loanee Facundo Buonanotte have one goal each.

Marc Cucurella, who got seven from full-back last season, is without a goal this season. Winger Pedro Neto has one goal and two setups in his previous two fixtures, but earlier found the net just once in the first 10 games.

After thirteen games in every tournament no striker has above two scores, with engine room operators Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's joint top scorers with four strikes.

Queried whether a absence of prolific strikers means duties need distributing, Maresca stated: "Definitely, yes. We said many times that the five players at the offense, we need numerous strikes from each, in the fashion we managed last season."

Maresca has developed approaches to be competitive despite goal-scoring variability. Chelsea are second for set-piece goals in the Premier League, trailing by one Arsenal. In moreover, the Stamford Bridge side are the initial club to have ten various goalscorers in the top flight this campaign.

Can Chelsea's Striker Jinx End?

Some Chelsea fans feel the center-forward number - assigned to Delap in the off-season - is jinxed. It had been available since 2023, and squad members who wore it since the mid-2000s have found scoring difficult, including:

• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three strikes in twenty-one matches
• Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 scores in 58 games
• Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 scores in 82 games
• 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): forty-five strikes in 172 games
• Franco di Santo (2008-10) - failed to score in 16 appearances
• Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one goal in twenty-five matches
• Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - zero strikes in 20 appearances

A central player and defensive specialist are included in this group, and some would argue Abraham lifted the hoodoo with his record, while iconic forwards such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink thrived with nine on their back.

But Delap was unconcerned when queried about the curse. "I don't believe [who believes in curses]," he commented at the global competition.

"Ultimately it's a number on the back of your uniform. It's just a digit that has always been related to attackers so it's something that I appreciate and there's zero expectation."