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Attacker Liam Delap is recovering from a hamstring injury at a crucial moment for Chelsea.

The Stamford Bridge outfit were beaten 2-1 against unexpected challengers Sunderland at Stamford Bridge on the weekend, with head coach Enzo Maresca blaming "limited inventiveness" and his team's delivery being "not the best".

Chelsea's forwards are finding it hard to score and goal contributions as Delap is back available in the League Cup against bottom-half Wolves on this week (evening kickoff), having missed 10 games since sustaining the injury in the success over Fulham in the summer.

Maresca stated the emerging talent will be slowly integrated "gradually", and the recent acquisition's return is vital for a side facing questions over their inconsistency, which has left the domestic cups their primary hope of claiming silverware this campaign.

Delap to Ease Burden On Joao Pedro

Chelsea acquired Delap from the Tractor Boys for a £30 million fee despite interest from Old Trafford club, Newcastle United and the Toffees.

Yet the young English striker was behind £55 million acquisition Joao Pedro in the team ranking at this global competition - and with good reason.

Joao Pedro registered a trio of strikes in three matches as Chelsea secured the maiden title in the USA. The Brazil striker scored another two and three setups in his first four Premier League games after moving from the Seagulls.

More of late, however, Joao Pedro has failed to score in his last seven games. Maresca revealed he is one of three squad members - along with midfielders Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who at the moment demand to be "shielded".

When questioned about Joao Pedro's dip in form, Maresca commented: "Certainly the physical part is crucial. When you are not 100% it's challenging to excel, notably in this league."

"Joao Pedro is not a number nine that is going to reach twenty strikes every season. Joao's a superb talent, he's going to find the net and give assists but he's a different kind of nine to players who get 20 to 25 goals each year like the Bayern legend, [Kylian] Mbappe or [Erling] Haaland."

Broader Issues in Chelsea's Forward Line

Chelsea deal with broader problems in addition to their forwards and Joao Pedro's scoreless streak.

Attacker Cole Palmer has featured for ninety minutes twice all term and is unlikely to be back from a groin injury until next month.

Winger Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, signed from Borussia Dortmund for a £52m package, has no goals and a single assist in ten appearances. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m recruit from Manchester United, has one score in seven outings and forced an own goal against Benfica.

Estevao Willian, 18, has entertained since arriving from Palmeiras for a £51m package, but has merely two scores and a single assist - paralleling homegrown talent Tyrique George.

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

Marc Cucurella, who scored seven from defensive position last season, is without a goal this term. Winger Pedro Neto has a single strike and two assists in his past two matches, but earlier found the net just once in the initial ten fixtures.

After thirteen fixtures in all competitions no attacker has above two scores, with engine room operators Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's equal leading marksmen with four.

Queried whether a lack of natural goalscorers means duties need distributing, Maresca commented: "Certainly, yes. We repeatedly stated that the front five at the offense, we need multiple goals per player, in the manner we achieved last campaign."

Maresca has found ways to challenge despite attacking inconsistency. Chelsea are second place for set-piece goals in the top flight, one less than Arsenal. In furthermore, the Stamford Bridge side are the initial club to have 10 different scorers in the top flight this term.

Is the Number Nine Hoodoo About to Lift?

Some Chelsea supporters think the striker's jersey - taken by Delap in the off-season - is jinxed. It had been vacant since last year, and squad members who sported it since the mid-2000s have struggled for goals, including:

• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three goals in twenty-one matches
• Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 goals in 58 games
• Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 goals in eighty-two matches
• Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five strikes in nineteen matches
• Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 goals in seventy-two matches
• Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - a single strike in 12 appearances
• Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 goals in 172 appearances
• Franco di Santo (2008-10) - failed to score in 16 appearances
• Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one score in twenty-five matches
• Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - zero strikes in 20 appearances

A midfielder and defensive specialist are part of this selection, and some would argue Abraham ended the jinx with his performance, while iconic forwards such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink thrived with the number nine.

But Delap was unmoved when questioned about the curse. "I'm not the type of person [who believes in curses]," he commented at the global competition.

"At the end of the day it's a figure on the jersey of your kit. It's just a figure that has always been related to forwards so it's something that I enjoy and there's zero expectation."