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

The Stamford Bridge outfit suffered a 2-1 defeat against shock contenders Sunderland at Stamford Bridge on recently, with head coach Enzo Maresca citing "a lack of creativity" and his team's delivery being "below standard".

Chelsea's forwards are struggling for goals and assists as Delap makes his comeback in the EFL Cup against lowly Wolves on this week (19:45 GMT), having missed 10 games since suffering the setback in the victory over Fulham in August.

Maresca stated the young striker will be slowly integrated "carefully", and the recent acquisition's availability is crucial for a club facing criticism over their unpredictability, which has left the domestic cups their most realistic chance of winning a trophy this season.

Delap to Take Pressure Off Joao Pedro

Chelsea brought in Delap from the Championship side for a £30 million fee despite pursuit by Manchester United, Newcastle United and Goodison Park team.

Yet the England Under-21s forward was behind £55 million acquisition Joao Pedro in the team ranking at this global competition - and with valid cause.

Joao Pedro found the net three times in three appearances as Chelsea secured the maiden title in the United States. The Brazil striker notched additional strikes and three assists in his first four Premier League games after arriving from Brighton.

More lately, however, Joao Pedro has been goalless in his past seven matches. Maresca said he is one of a trio of players - along with engine room operators Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who presently require to be "shielded".

When asked about Joao Pedro's decline in performance, Maresca commented: "Definitely the physical part is vital. When you are not 100% it's difficult to compete, especially in this division."

"Joao Pedro is not a number nine that is going to net twenty times every season. Joao's a excellent footballer, he's going to score and give assists but he's a different kind of nine to those who net 20 to 25 goals annually like [Robert] Lewandowski, the PSG forward or the Norwegian goal machine."

Broader Issues in Chelsea's Offense

Chelsea deal with broader problems beyond their attackers and Joao Pedro's drought.

Forward Cole Palmer has played two full matches all term and is not anticipated to feature from a lower body issue until next month.

Wide player Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, brought in from Borussia Dortmund for a fee rising to £52m, has failed to score and one goal contribution in ten appearances. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m recruit from Manchester United, has one score in seven games and induced an opposition error against Benfica.

Estevao Willian, the teenager, has shown promise since arriving from Palmeiras for a fee rising to £51m, but has only two goals and a single assist - paralleling homegrown talent Tyrique George.

Forward Marc Guiu and Seagulls temporary signing Facundo Buonanotte have one goal each.

Marc Cucurella, who scored seven from full-back last campaign, is still to score this season. Attacking player Pedro Neto has one score and two goal contributions in his last two games, but before that scored only once in the first 10 games.

After thirteen games in all competitions no attacker has over two strikes, with engine room operators Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's shared top goalscorers with four strikes.

Questioned whether a lack of natural goalscorers means goals must come from multiple sources, Maresca commented: "Definitely, yes. We said many times that the front five at the offense, we need multiple goals per player, in the fashion we managed last term."

Maresca has developed approaches to challenge despite goal-scoring variability. Chelsea are runner-up in free-kick and corner scores in the Premier League, one behind Arsenal. In moreover, the Stamford Bridge side are the first team to have ten distinct net-finders in the top flight this campaign.

Is the Number Nine Hoodoo About to Lift?

Some Chelsea followers believe the striker's jersey - taken by Delap in the off-season - is hexed. It had been vacant since last year, and players who wore it since 2006 have struggled for goals, including:

• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three goals in 21 games
• Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 scores in 58 appearances
• Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 scores in 82 games
• Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five scores in 19 appearances
• Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 goals in seventy-two matches
• Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one goal in twelve matches
• Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 scores in one hundred seventy-two matches
• Franco di Santo (2008-10) - zero strikes in sixteen matches
• Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one score in 25 games
• Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - no goals in twenty matches

A engine room operator and defender are part of this selection, and some would argue Abraham ended the jinx with his achievement, while iconic forwards such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink thrived with nine on their back.

But Delap was unfazed when asked about the hoodoo. "I'm not one [who believes in curses]," he said at the international tournament.

"At the end of the day it's a figure on the jersey of your kit. It's just a digit that has historically been connected to forwards so it's something that I appreciate and there's no added burden."