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

The West London club lost 2-1 against shock contenders Sunderland at their stadium on the weekend, with manager Enzo Maresca citing "insufficient imagination" and his squad's passes being "not the best".

Chelsea's strikers are finding it hard to score and key passes as Delap makes his comeback in the League Cup against struggling Wolves on midweek (19:45 GMT), having sat out 10 fixtures since sustaining the injury in the victory over Fulham in August.

Maresca commented the young striker will be phased in "slowly", and the summer signing's availability is important for a side facing scrutiny over their mixed results, which has left the national tournaments their most realistic chance of securing honors this term.

Delap to Take Pressure Off Joao Pedro

Chelsea signed Delap from the Tractor Boys for £30m despite attention from Manchester United, St James' Park side and Everton.

Yet the England Under-21s forward was below £55m signing Joao Pedro in the selection hierarchy at this global competition - and with good reason.

Joao Pedro scored three goals in three appearances as Chelsea won the inaugural tournament in the United States. The Seleção attacker added two more goals and three assists in his initial four top-flight matches after arriving from Brighton.

More recently, however, Joao Pedro has failed to score in his last seven games. Maresca revealed he is one of three squad members - along with midfielders Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who currently need to be "shielded".

When queried about Joao Pedro's drop in output, Maresca commented: "Definitely the physical part is crucial. When you are not fully fit it's difficult to compete, particularly in this league."

"Joao Pedro is not a traditional striker that is going to score 20 goals each year. Joao's a excellent footballer, he's going to get goals and give assists but he's a distinctive forward to players who get 20 to 25 goals annually like the Polish striker, the PSG forward or the City striker."

Wider Problems in Chelsea's Offense

Chelsea face wider issues beyond their attackers and Joao Pedro's scoreless streak.

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

Wide player Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, signed from Borussia Dortmund for a fee rising to £52m, has no goals and one goal contribution in ten appearances. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m recruit from Manchester United, has one score in seven outings and forced an own goal against Benfica.

Estevao Willian, the teenager, has entertained since arriving from Palmeiras for a fee rising to £51m, but has just two strikes and one setup - equaling homegrown talent Tyrique George.

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

Marc Cucurella, who got seven from left-back last season, is still to score this campaign. Wide man Pedro Neto has a single strike and two assists in his past two matches, but before that got only one goal in the first 10 games.

After thirteen fixtures in all competitions no forward has above two scores, with engine room operators Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's joint top scorers with four.

Queried whether a absence of prolific strikers means responsibility must be shared, Maresca said: "Definitely, yes. We frequently mentioned that the quintet of attackers at the attack, we need numerous strikes from each, in the manner we achieved last campaign."

Maresca has discovered methods to be competitive despite goal-scoring variability. Chelsea are runner-up in free-kick and corner scores in the English top division, one behind Arsenal. In furthermore, the Blues are the initial club to have ten distinct net-finders in the first division this term.

Will Chelsea's Number Nine Curse Be Broken?

Some Chelsea fans feel the number nine shirt - claimed by Delap in the summer - is hexed. It had been available since 2023, and players who donned it since 2006 have found scoring difficult, including:

• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three strikes in 21 appearances
• Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 scores in 58 appearances
• Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - thirty strikes in eighty-two matches
• Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five goals in 19 games
• Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 goals in seventy-two matches
• Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - a single strike in 12 games
• Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 scores in 172 appearances
• Franco di Santo (2008-10) - no goals in sixteen matches
• Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - a single strike in twenty-five matches
• Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - zero strikes in 20 games

A midfielder and backline player are among those listed, and some would argue Abraham lifted the hoodoo with his achievement, while famous attackers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink flourished with nine on their back.

But Delap was unconcerned when queried about the curse. "I don't believe [who believes in curses]," he said at the international tournament.

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