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Forward Liam Delap is coming back from a muscle issue at a important period for Chelsea.

The Stamford Bridge outfit were beaten 2-1 against surprise package Sunderland at their home ground on recently, with manager Enzo Maresca blaming "a lack of creativity" and his side's crossing being "subpar".

Chelsea's forwards are having difficulty finding the net and goal contributions as Delap is back available in the Carabao Cup against bottom-half Wolves on midweek (19:45 GMT), having missed 10 games since sustaining the injury in the 2-0 win over Fulham in last month.

Maresca commented the emerging talent will be slowly integrated "gradually", and the summer signing's availability is crucial for a side facing criticism over their inconsistency, which has left the cup competitions their primary hope of claiming silverware this term.

Delap to Share Load With Joao Pedro

Chelsea brought in Delap from the Championship side for thirty million pounds despite attention from the Red Devils, Newcastle United and Goodison Park team.

Yet the Three Lions prospect was below expensive recruit Joao Pedro in the pecking order at this recent international tournament - and with valid cause.

Joao Pedro scored three goals in three appearances as Chelsea won the inaugural tournament in the America. The Seleção attacker scored another two and three goal contributions in his initial four top-flight matches after moving from the Seagulls.

More recently, however, Joao Pedro has been goalless in his last seven games. Maresca stated he is one of three squad members - along with central players Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who currently need to be "protected".

When questioned about Joao Pedro's decline in performance, Maresca said: "Certainly the fitness aspect is important. When you are not at peak condition it's hard to perform, particularly in this competition."

"Joao Pedro is not a number nine that is going to reach twenty strikes each year. Joao's a excellent footballer, he's going to score and create chances but he's a different kind of nine to those who net 20 to 25 goals every season like the Polish striker, [Kylian] Mbappe or the Norwegian goal machine."

Wider Problems in Chelsea's Offense

Chelsea face additional challenges beyond their strikers and Joao Pedro's drought.

Attacker Cole Palmer has played two full matches all term and is not anticipated to feature from a lower body issue until December.

Attacking midfielder Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, signed from Borussia Dortmund for a potential £52 million deal, has zero strikes and a single assist in ten games. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40 million signing from Manchester United, has a single strike in seven games and forced an own goal against Benfica.

Estevao Willian, 18, has shown promise since arriving from Palmeiras for a potential £51 million deal, but has just two strikes and one setup - equaling homegrown talent Tyrique George.

Forward Marc Guiu and Seagulls temporary signing Facundo Buonanotte have one score each.

Marc Cucurella, who got seven from left-back last campaign, is yet to find the net this term. Attacking player Pedro Neto has a single strike and two assists in his previous two fixtures, but prior to that found the net just once in the first 10 games.

After thirteen fixtures in all competitions no striker has more than two goals, with midfielders Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's joint top scorers with four.

Asked whether a lack of natural goalscorers means responsibility must be shared, Maresca commented: "Certainly, yes. We frequently mentioned that the five players at the offense, we need multiple goals per player, in the way we have done last season."

Maresca has developed approaches to compete despite goal-scoring variability. Chelsea are second for set-piece goals in the Premier League, one behind Arsenal. In addition, the Stamford Bridge side are the first team to have ten distinct net-finders in the first division this season.

Can Chelsea's Striker Jinx End?

Some Chelsea followers feel the number nine shirt - claimed by Delap in the summer - is jinxed. It had been unoccupied since last year, and players who donned it since 2006 have found scoring difficult, including:

• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three strikes 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 scores in 19 appearances
• Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 scores in 72 appearances
• Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one goal in 12 games
• Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): forty-five strikes in 172 games
• Franco di Santo (2008-10) - failed to score 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 included in this group, and some would contend Abraham broke the curse with his achievement, while iconic forwards such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink flourished with the striker's jersey.

But Delap was unconcerned when queried about the jinx. "I'm not one [who believes in curses]," he said at the international tournament.

"In the final analysis it's a digit on the shirt of your shirt. It's just a digit that has always been related to attackers so it's something that I appreciate and there's zero expectation."