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

The Stamford Bridge outfit lost 2-1 against unexpected challengers Sunderland at their home ground on Saturday, with head coach Enzo Maresca attributing "limited inventiveness" and his squad's passes being "not the best".

Chelsea's strikers are having difficulty finding the net and assists as Delap returns in the Carabao Cup against lowly Wolves on Wednesday (evening kickoff), having missed 10 games since sustaining the injury in the victory over Fulham in last month.

Maresca said the emerging talent will be phased in "gradually", and the summer signing's availability is important for a team facing scrutiny over their inconsistency, which has left the national tournaments their primary hope of securing honors this campaign.

Delap to Share Load With Joao Pedro

Chelsea acquired Delap from Ipswich Town for a £30 million fee despite attention from Old Trafford club, St James' Park side and Everton.

Yet the England Under-21s forward was below £55m signing Joao Pedro in the team ranking at this global competition - and with good reason.

Joao Pedro scored three goals in three outings as Chelsea won the inaugural tournament in the United States. The Brazilian forward scored another two and three goal contributions in his opening quartet of league fixtures after arriving from Brighton.

More recently, 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 "shielded".

When asked about Joao Pedro's decline in performance, Maresca commented: "Certainly the conditioning element is crucial. When you are not at peak condition it's difficult to compete, especially in this league."

"Joao Pedro is not a number nine that is going to net twenty times each year. Joao's a superb talent, he's going to find the net and give assists but he's a alternative type of striker to those who net 20 to 25 goals annually like the Bayern legend, the PSG forward or the City striker."

Additional Concerns in Chelsea's Offense

Chelsea confront additional challenges beyond their strikers and Joao Pedro's scoreless streak.

Attacker Cole Palmer has featured for ninety minutes twice all season and is not expected return from a groin problem until December.

Winger Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, acquired from Borussia Dortmund for a potential £52 million deal, has zero strikes and one goal contribution in 10 matches. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40 million signing from Manchester United, has one goal in seven matches and forced an own goal against Benfica.

Estevao Willian, the teenager, has entertained since joining from Palmeiras for a £51m package, but has merely two scores and one setup - paralleling academy forward Tyrique George.

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

Marc Cucurella, who notched seven from defensive position last season, is yet to find the net this term. Wide man Pedro Neto has one goal and two assists in his last two games, but prior to that got only one goal in the opening ten matches.

After thirteen fixtures in various cups no attacker has more than two goals, with engine room operators Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's equal leading marksmen with four strikes.

Queried whether a absence of prolific strikers means responsibility must be shared, Maresca commented: "Absolutely, yes. We repeatedly stated that the quintet of attackers at the offense, we need numerous strikes from each, in the way we have done last term."

Maresca has developed approaches to challenge despite goal-scoring variability. Chelsea are second for dead-ball situations in the English top division, trailing by one Arsenal. In addition, the West London club are the first team to have 10 different scorers in the first division this season.

Will Chelsea's Number Nine Curse Be Broken?

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

• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - a trio of scores in twenty-one matches
• Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 scores in fifty-eight matches
• Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - thirty strikes in eighty-two matches
• Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five goals in nineteen matches
• Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - twenty-four strikes in 72 games
• Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - a single strike in 12 appearances
• Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 goals 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 appearances
• Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - no goals in 20 appearances

A engine room operator and defensive specialist are part of this selection, and some would suggest Abraham lifted the hoodoo with his performance, while iconic forwards such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink excelled with nine on their back.

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

"Ultimately it's a figure on the jersey of your kit. It's just a digit that has always been related to strikers so it's something that I enjoy and there's no added burden."