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

The Blues were beaten 2-1 against shock contenders Sunderland at their home ground on the weekend, with head coach Enzo Maresca blaming "a lack of creativity" and his team's delivery being "not the best".

Chelsea's strikers are struggling for goals and assists as Delap is back available in the Carabao Cup against struggling Wolves on Wednesday (prime time), having been absent for 10 matches since sustaining the injury in the 2-0 win over Fulham in August.

Maresca stated the 22-year-old will be phased in "slowly", and the recent acquisition's availability is crucial for a club facing scrutiny over their inconsistency, which has left the cup competitions their best opportunity of claiming silverware this campaign.

Delap to Ease Burden On Joao Pedro

Chelsea brought in Delap from the Championship side for a £30 million fee despite attention from Old Trafford club, the Magpies and Goodison Park team.

Yet the England Under-21s forward was behind expensive recruit Joao Pedro in the pecking order at this global competition - and with valid cause.

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

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

When queried about Joao Pedro's dip in form, Maresca said: "Definitely the conditioning element is important. When you are not 100% it's difficult to compete, notably in this division."

"Joao Pedro is not a number nine that is going to score 20 goals every season. Joao's a superb talent, he's going to find the net and provide assists but he's a alternative type of striker to ones that score 20 to 25 goals each year like the Polish striker, [Kylian] Mbappe or the Norwegian goal machine."

Additional Concerns in Chelsea's Forward Line

Chelsea confront broader problems apart from their attackers and Joao Pedro's drought.

Winger Cole Palmer has featured for ninety minutes twice all season and is unlikely to be back from a lower body issue until next month.

Winger Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, acquired from Borussia Dortmund for a £52m package, has failed to score and one goal contribution in ten games. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40 million signing from Manchester United, has a single strike in seven outings and caused an own goal against Benfica.

Estevao Willian, the teenager, has impressed since arriving from Palmeiras for a fee rising to £51m, but has merely two scores and a single assist - paralleling academy forward Tyrique George.

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

Marc Cucurella, who notched seven from full-back last campaign, 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 scored only once in the initial ten fixtures.

After thirteen fixtures in various cups no forward has over two strikes, with midfielders Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's joint top scorers with four.

Asked whether a lack of natural goalscorers means goals must come from multiple sources, Maresca commented: "Absolutely, yes. We repeatedly stated that the front five at the attack, we need numerous strikes from each, in the way we have done last term."

Maresca has developed approaches to compete despite attacking inconsistency. Chelsea are second place for set-piece goals in the English top division, one less than Arsenal. In moreover, the Blues are the pioneering side to have 10 different scorers in the top flight this season.

Can Chelsea's Striker Jinx End?

Some Chelsea supporters feel the center-forward number - assigned to Delap in the transfer window - is hexed. It had been available since recently, and players who sported it since 2006 have struggled for goals, including:

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

A midfielder and backline player are part of this selection, and some would suggest Abraham broke the curse with his performance, while famous attackers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink thrived with the striker's jersey.

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

"Ultimately it's a number on the back of your kit. It's just a number that has always been related to strikers so it's something that I appreciate and there's zero expectation."