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Striker Liam Delap is recovering from a thigh problem at a crucial moment for Chelsea.

The Stamford Bridge outfit lost 2-1 against surprise package Sunderland at their stadium on the weekend, with manager Enzo Maresca citing "limited inventiveness" and his side's crossing being "below standard".

Chelsea's strikers are struggling for goals and assists as Delap makes his comeback in the League Cup against lowly Wolves on this week (19:45 GMT), having been absent for 10 matches since sustaining the injury in the success over Fulham in August.

Maresca said the 22-year-old will be slowly integrated "carefully", and the new recruit's comeback is important for a club facing questions over their mixed results, which has left the cup competitions their most realistic chance of claiming silverware this campaign.

Delap to Share Load With Joao Pedro

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

Yet the young English striker was below £55m signing Joao Pedro in the selection hierarchy at this global competition - and with solid justification.

Joao Pedro found the net three times in three appearances as Chelsea claimed the first edition in the America. The Seleção attacker added two more goals and three goal contributions in his opening quartet of league fixtures after moving from the Seagulls.

More recently, however, Joao Pedro has not scored in his past seven matches. Maresca revealed he is one of a trio of players - along with midfielders Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who currently need to be "handled carefully".

When asked about Joao Pedro's drop in output, Maresca said: "Certainly the conditioning element is crucial. When you are not at peak condition it's challenging to excel, particularly in this competition."

"Joao Pedro is not a classic center-forward that is going to reach twenty strikes every season. Joao's a fantastic player, he's going to find the net and create chances but he's a alternative type of striker to those who net 20 to 25 goals annually like the Bayern legend, the French superstar or the Norwegian goal machine."

Broader Issues in Chelsea's Forward Line

Chelsea face broader problems beyond their attackers and Joao Pedro's goalless run.

Attacker Cole Palmer has featured for ninety minutes twice all campaign and is not expected return from a lower body issue until December.

Winger Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, signed from Borussia Dortmund for a £52m package, has no goals and a single assist in 10 matches. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40 million signing from Manchester United, has a single strike in seven matches and induced an opposition error against Benfica.

Estevao Willian, eighteen, has shown promise since moving from Palmeiras for a potential £51 million deal, but has just two strikes and one assist - paralleling academy forward Tyrique George.

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

Marc Cucurella, who scored seven from left-back last campaign, is yet to find the net this term. Attacking player Pedro Neto has one score and two goal contributions in his previous two fixtures, but earlier found the net just once in the first 10 games.

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

Asked whether a lack of natural goalscorers means responsibility must be shared, Maresca said: "Absolutely, yes. We repeatedly stated that the quintet of attackers at the offense, we need six, seven, eight, nine, 10 goals each, in the fashion we managed last campaign."

Maresca has developed approaches to challenge despite offensive unpredictability. Chelsea are second place for dead-ball situations in the Premier League, one less than Arsenal. In moreover, the Blues are the pioneering side to have ten various goalscorers in the top flight this season.

Is the Number Nine Hoodoo About to Lift?

Some Chelsea followers believe the striker's jersey - taken by Delap in the off-season - is cursed. It had been available since last year, and squad members who donned it since 2006 have had goal droughts, including:

• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - a trio of scores in 21 games
• Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 goals in 58 games
• Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 goals in 82 appearances
• Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five strikes in 19 appearances
• 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): 45 goals in 172 games
• Franco di Santo (2008-10) - zero strikes in 16 games
• Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - a single strike in twenty-five matches
• Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - zero strikes in 20 games

A central player and backline player are part of this selection, and some would argue Abraham broke the curse with his performance, while iconic forwards such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink excelled with nine on their back.

But Delap was unconcerned when questioned about the jinx. "I don't believe [who believes in curses]," he said at the Club World Cup.

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