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Striker Liam Delap is coming back from a hamstring injury at a crucial moment for Chelsea.

The Stamford Bridge outfit lost 2-1 against unexpected challengers Sunderland at Stamford Bridge on recently, with head coach Enzo Maresca citing "limited inventiveness" and his squad's passes being "below standard".

Chelsea's strikers are struggling for goals and goal contributions as Delap makes his comeback in the League Cup against bottom-half Wolves on this week (evening kickoff), having been absent for 10 matches since suffering the setback in the victory over Fulham in last month.

Maresca said the young striker will be gradually introduced "gradually", and the summer signing's availability is vital for a club facing scrutiny over their mixed results, which has left the domestic cups their most realistic chance of securing honors this season.

Delap to Share Load With Joao Pedro

Chelsea signed Delap from Ipswich Town for £30m despite attention from Manchester United, Newcastle United and Goodison Park team.

Yet the young English striker was behind expensive recruit Joao Pedro in the team ranking at this recent international tournament - and with valid cause.

Joao Pedro registered a trio of strikes in three outings as Chelsea won the inaugural tournament in the America. The Brazilian forward notched additional strikes and three goal contributions in his initial four top-flight matches after arriving from Brighton.

More of late, however, Joao Pedro has been goalless in his past seven matches. Maresca said he is one of three players - along with central players Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who at the moment demand to be "shielded".

When asked about Joao Pedro's drop in output, Maresca said: "Definitely the fitness aspect is important. When you are not 100% it's challenging to excel, especially in this competition."

"Joao Pedro is not a classic center-forward that is going to score 20 goals each year. Joao's a fantastic player, he's going to get goals and create chances but he's a alternative type of striker to those who net 20 to 25 goals every season like [Robert] Lewandowski, the PSG forward or the City striker."

Broader Issues in Chelsea's Attack

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

Winger Cole Palmer has completed two games all term and is unlikely to be back from a groin problem until next month.

Winger Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, brought in from Borussia Dortmund for a £52m package, has zero strikes and one assist in ten games. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m acquisition from Manchester United, has one score in seven matches and caused an own goal against Benfica.

Estevao Willian, the teenager, has entertained since joining from Palmeiras for a potential £51 million deal, but has just two strikes and one assist - matching youth product Tyrique George.

Forward Marc Guiu and Brighton loanee Facundo Buonanotte have a single strike apiece.

Marc Cucurella, who got seven from full-back last season, is still to score this campaign. Attacking player Pedro Neto has one goal and two goal contributions in his previous two fixtures, but prior to that found the net just once in the opening ten matches.

After thirteen fixtures in every tournament no forward has more than two goals, with midfielders Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's equal leading marksmen with four goals.

Questioned whether a absence of prolific strikers means duties need distributing, Maresca stated: "Certainly, yes. We frequently mentioned that the front five at the front, we need numerous strikes from each, in the way we have done last campaign."

Maresca has discovered methods to be competitive despite offensive unpredictability. Chelsea are runner-up in set-piece goals in the English top division, one less than Arsenal. In moreover, the West London club are the pioneering side to have 10 different scorers in the Premier League this campaign.

Will Chelsea's Number Nine Curse Be Broken?

Some Chelsea followers believe the center-forward number - assigned to Delap in the off-season - is jinxed. It had been available since last year, and footballers who wore it since 2006 have found scoring difficult, including:

• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three strikes in twenty-one matches
• Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 goals in 58 games
• Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 goals in 82 games
• Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five goals in nineteen matches
• Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 goals in seventy-two matches
• Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one goal in 12 games
• Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 scores in 172 appearances
• Franco di Santo (2008-10) - no goals in 16 games
• Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one score in twenty-five matches
• Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - no goals in twenty matches

A midfielder and defender are among those listed, and some would suggest Abraham ended the jinx with his performance, while iconic forwards such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink flourished with the number nine.

But Delap was unconcerned when queried about the hoodoo. "I don't believe [who believes in curses]," he said at the Club World Cup.

"At the end of the day it's a number on the back of your kit. It's just a digit that has always been related to attackers so it's something that I appreciate and there's no added burden."