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Attacker Liam Delap is coming back from a thigh problem at a time of need for Chelsea.

The Blues were beaten 2-1 against surprise package Sunderland at their stadium on the weekend, with boss Enzo Maresca attributing "a lack of creativity" and his team's delivery being "not the best".

Chelsea's attackers are finding it hard to score and key passes as Delap returns in the Carabao Cup against struggling Wolves on Wednesday (19:45 GMT), having sat out 10 fixtures since sustaining the injury in the victory over Fulham in last month.

Maresca said the young striker will be gradually introduced "slowly", and the recent acquisition's availability is vital for a team facing criticism over their inconsistency, which has left the cup competitions 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 pursuit by the Red Devils, St James' Park side and Goodison Park team.

Yet the England Under-21s forward was below £55m signing Joao Pedro in the selection hierarchy at this global competition - and with solid justification.

Joao Pedro registered a trio of strikes in three outings as Chelsea claimed the first edition in the United States. The Brazil striker notched additional strikes and three goal contributions in his first four Premier League games after joining from Brighton.

More of late, however, Joao Pedro has failed to score in his last seven games. Maresca stated he is one of a trio of players - along with engine room operators Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who presently require to be "handled carefully".

When asked about Joao Pedro's dip in form, Maresca commented: "For sure the physical part 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 score 20 goals annually. Joao's a superb talent, he's going to get goals and provide assists but he's a alternative type of striker to ones that score 20 to 25 goals each year like the Bayern legend, the French superstar or the Norwegian goal machine."

Additional Concerns in Chelsea's Forward Line

Chelsea face wider issues apart from their strikers and Joao Pedro's goalless run.

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, brought in from Borussia Dortmund for a fee rising to £52m, has no goals and one assist in 10 matches. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m recruit from Manchester United, has one score in seven matches and forced an own goal against Benfica.

Estevao Willian, eighteen, has shown promise since arriving from Palmeiras for a potential £51 million deal, but has only two goals and a single assist - paralleling homegrown talent Tyrique George.

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

Marc Cucurella, who got seven from left-back last term, is yet to find the net this season. Wide man Pedro Neto has one score and two goal contributions in his previous two fixtures, but before that got only one goal in the first 10 games.

After 13 matches in every tournament no forward has over two strikes, with midfielders Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's equal leading marksmen with four goals.

Questioned whether a shortage of clinical finishers means goals must come from multiple sources, Maresca said: "Absolutely, yes. We said many times that the five players at the front, we need numerous strikes from each, in the way we have done last campaign."

Maresca has discovered methods to compete despite attacking inconsistency. Chelsea are runner-up in dead-ball situations in the Premier League, one behind Arsenal. In furthermore, the Stamford Bridge side are the pioneering side to have ten distinct net-finders in the top flight this term.

Will Chelsea's Number Nine Curse Be Broken?

Some Chelsea followers think the striker's jersey - taken by Delap in the transfer window - is cursed. It had been unoccupied since last year, and footballers who donned it since the mid-2000s have had goal droughts, including:

• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - a trio of scores in 21 games
• Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - fifteen strikes in 58 games
• Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 goals in 82 games
• Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five scores in 19 appearances
• Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 goals in 72 games
• Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one goal in 12 games
• Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 goals in 172 appearances
• Franco di Santo (2008-10) - zero strikes in 16 games
• Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one goal in 25 appearances
• Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - failed to score in 20 games

A midfielder and defensive specialist are part of this selection, and some would contend Abraham lifted the hoodoo with his performance, while legendary strikers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink flourished with the number nine.

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

"At the end of the day 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."