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Striker Liam Delap is recovering from a muscle issue at a important period for Chelsea.

The Stamford Bridge outfit were beaten 2-1 against unexpected challengers Sunderland at their home ground on recently, with boss Enzo Maresca citing "a lack of creativity" and his side's crossing being "not the best".

Chelsea's attackers are finding it hard to score and goal contributions as Delap is back available in the League Cup against lowly Wolves on midweek (19:45 GMT), having sat out 10 fixtures since sustaining the injury in the success over Fulham in the summer.

Maresca stated the 22-year-old will be slowly integrated "carefully", and the recent acquisition's comeback is vital for a team facing criticism over their unpredictability, which has left the domestic cups their best opportunity of securing honors this term.

Delap to Ease Burden On Joao Pedro

Chelsea signed Delap from Ipswich Town for £30m despite attention from Old Trafford club, the Magpies and Goodison Park team.

Yet the Three Lions prospect was below £55 million acquisition Joao Pedro in the selection hierarchy at this summer's Club World Cup - 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 added two more goals and three setups in his opening quartet of league fixtures after joining from Brighton.

More of late, however, Joao Pedro has been goalless in his previous seven fixtures. Maresca revealed he is one of three squad members - along with midfielders Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who currently need to be "shielded".

When asked about Joao Pedro's drop in output, Maresca said: "Definitely the conditioning element is vital. When you are not at peak condition it's hard to perform, especially in this league."

"Joao Pedro is not a classic center-forward that is going to reach twenty strikes each year. Joao's a fantastic player, 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 Polish striker, the French superstar or [Erling] Haaland."

Broader Issues in Chelsea's Forward Line

Chelsea deal with additional challenges in addition to their strikers and Joao Pedro's drought.

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

Winger Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, brought in from Borussia Dortmund for a £52m package, has failed to score and one goal contribution in 10 matches. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m recruit from Manchester United, has a single strike in seven matches and forced an own goal against Benfica.

Estevao Willian, the teenager, has impressed since moving from Palmeiras for a £51m package, but has just two strikes and a single assist - matching academy forward Tyrique George.

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

Marc Cucurella, who got seven from full-back last term, is yet to find the net this term. Winger Pedro Neto has a single strike and two goal contributions in his last two games, but before that got only one goal in the initial ten fixtures.

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

Queried whether a lack of natural goalscorers means duties need distributing, Maresca stated: "Definitely, yes. We frequently mentioned that the front five at the attack, we need six, seven, eight, nine, 10 goals each, in the manner we achieved last term."

Maresca has discovered methods to compete despite goal-scoring variability. Chelsea are runner-up in free-kick and corner scores in the Premier League, one less than Arsenal. In furthermore, the Blues 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 striker's jersey - assigned to Delap in the summer - is jinxed. It had been unoccupied since last year, and players who donned it since 2006 have had goal droughts, including:

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

A engine room operator and backline player are included in this group, and some would argue Abraham ended the jinx with his record, while legendary strikers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink excelled with the striker's jersey.

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

"At the end of the day it's a number on the back of your shirt. It's just a number that has historically been connected to forwards so it's something that I appreciate and there's no pressure."