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Attacker Liam Delap is returning from a muscle issue at a time of need for Chelsea.

The West London club were beaten 2-1 against surprise package Sunderland at their stadium on Saturday, with head coach Enzo Maresca attributing "a lack of creativity" and his team's delivery being "subpar".

Chelsea's strikers are struggling for goals and key passes as Delap returns in the EFL Cup against bottom-half Wolves on this week (evening kickoff), having been absent for 10 matches since sustaining the injury in the victory over Fulham in last month.

Maresca commented the emerging talent will be gradually introduced "gradually", and the new recruit's availability is crucial for a club facing scrutiny over their unpredictability, which has left the national tournaments their best opportunity of securing honors this season.

Delap to Take Pressure Off Joao Pedro

Chelsea acquired Delap from the Championship side for thirty million pounds despite interest from the Red Devils, the Magpies and the Toffees.

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

Joao Pedro found the net three times in three outings as Chelsea won the inaugural tournament in the United States. The Brazilian forward scored another two and three setups in his initial four top-flight matches after joining from Brighton.

More recently, however, Joao Pedro has not scored in his previous seven fixtures. Maresca revealed he is one of three squad members - along with midfielders Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who presently require to be "handled carefully".

When queried about Joao Pedro's decline in performance, Maresca commented: "Certainly the conditioning element is crucial. When you are not fully fit it's difficult to compete, particularly in this division."

"Joao Pedro is not a classic center-forward that is going to net twenty times annually. Joao's a fantastic player, 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 Bayern legend, [Kylian] Mbappe or [Erling] Haaland."

Wider Problems in Chelsea's Forward Line

Chelsea confront broader problems beyond their attackers and Joao Pedro's scoreless streak.

Forward Cole Palmer has played two full matches all season 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 zero strikes and one goal contribution in ten games. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m acquisition from Manchester United, has a single strike in seven outings and induced an opposition error against Benfica.

Estevao Willian, the teenager, has shown promise since moving from Palmeiras for a potential £51 million deal, but has merely two scores and one setup - equaling academy forward Tyrique George.

Striker Marc Guiu and Brighton loanee Facundo Buonanotte have one score each.

Marc Cucurella, who notched seven from full-back last season, is still to score this term. Attacking player Pedro Neto has one score and two assists in his previous two fixtures, but before that found the net just once in the initial ten fixtures.

After 13 matches in various cups no striker has above two scores, with engine room operators Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's shared top goalscorers with four goals.

Asked whether a absence of prolific strikers means goals must come from multiple sources, Maresca stated: "Certainly, yes. We said many times that the five players at the attack, 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 top flight, trailing by one Arsenal. In addition, the Stamford Bridge side are the first team to have ten various goalscorers in the top flight this season.

Can Chelsea's Striker Jinx End?

Some Chelsea supporters feel the number nine shirt - taken by Delap in the transfer window - is cursed. It had been available since 2023, and players who donned it since the mid-2000s have found scoring difficult, including:

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

A central player and defender are included in this group, and some would argue Abraham broke the curse with his achievement, while iconic forwards such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink excelled with the striker's jersey.

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

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