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Forward Liam Delap is recovering from a thigh problem at a important period for Chelsea.

The Stamford Bridge outfit were beaten 2-1 against surprise package Sunderland at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, with head coach Enzo Maresca attributing "insufficient imagination" and his squad's passes being "below standard".

Chelsea's forwards are having difficulty finding the net and goal contributions as Delap makes his comeback in the League Cup against struggling Wolves on this week (evening kickoff), having sat out 10 fixtures since sustaining the injury in the victory over Fulham in August.

Maresca commented the 22-year-old will be gradually introduced "carefully", and the recent acquisition's return is important for a team facing criticism over their unpredictability, which has left the domestic cups their best opportunity of claiming silverware this season.

Delap to Ease Burden On Joao Pedro

Chelsea brought in Delap from the Tractor Boys for thirty million pounds despite attention from Old Trafford club, Newcastle United and the Toffees.

Yet the young English striker was behind £55m signing Joao Pedro in the pecking order at this recent international tournament - and with valid cause.

Joao Pedro found the net three times in three outings as Chelsea claimed the first edition in the USA. The Seleção attacker added two more goals and three assists in his initial four top-flight matches after moving from the Seagulls.

More of late, however, Joao Pedro has been goalless in his previous seven fixtures. Maresca revealed he is one of three players - along with central players Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who presently require to be "shielded".

When queried about Joao Pedro's dip in form, Maresca said: "Definitely the conditioning element is crucial. When you are not fully fit it's difficult to compete, notably in this league."

"Joao Pedro is not a number nine that is going to reach twenty strikes every season. Joao's a excellent footballer, he's going to find the net and give assists but he's a alternative type of striker to ones that score 20 to 25 goals annually like the Polish striker, the French superstar or the City striker."

Wider Problems in Chelsea's Forward Line

Chelsea deal with additional challenges beyond their attackers and Joao Pedro's goalless run.

Winger Cole Palmer has played two full matches all term and is not expected return from a groin problem until next month.

Wide player Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, brought in from Borussia Dortmund for a £52m package, has no goals and one goal contribution in ten games. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m acquisition from Manchester United, has one goal in seven outings and forced an own goal against Benfica.

Estevao Willian, 18, has shown promise since moving from Palmeiras for a fee rising to £51m, but has just two strikes and one setup - paralleling homegrown talent Tyrique George.

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

Marc Cucurella, who notched seven from full-back last term, is still to score this term. Wide man Pedro Neto has a single strike and two goal contributions in his last two games, but before that scored only once in the initial ten fixtures.

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

Asked whether a shortage of clinical finishers means duties need distributing, Maresca stated: "Certainly, yes. We said many times that the five players at the offense, we need numerous strikes from each, in the fashion we managed last campaign."

Maresca has developed approaches to compete despite goal-scoring variability. Chelsea are runner-up in dead-ball situations in the Premier League, trailing by one Arsenal. In moreover, the West London club are the first team to have ten various goalscorers in the Premier League this season.

Will Chelsea's Number Nine Curse Be Broken?

Some Chelsea fans believe the center-forward number - taken by Delap in the off-season - is jinxed. It had been vacant since recently, and squad members who wore it since 2006 have found scoring difficult, including:

• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three goals in 21 appearances
• Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 goals in 58 appearances
• Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 scores in 82 games
• Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five goals in nineteen matches
• Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 goals in 72 appearances
• Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one score in twelve matches
• Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 goals in 172 games
• Franco di Santo (2008-10) - zero strikes in sixteen matches
• Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - a single strike in 25 appearances
• Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - zero strikes in 20 appearances

A central player and backline player are included in this group, and some would suggest Abraham ended the jinx with his achievement, while iconic forwards such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink excelled with the number nine.

But Delap was unconcerned when questioned about the curse. "I'm not one [who believes in curses]," he stated at the Club World Cup.

"At the end of the day it's a digit on the shirt of your shirt. It's just a number that has historically been connected to strikers so it's something that I enjoy and there's zero expectation."