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Attacker Liam Delap is returning from a thigh problem at a crucial moment for Chelsea.

The West London club were beaten 2-1 against unexpected challengers Sunderland at their stadium on the weekend, with boss Enzo Maresca blaming "insufficient imagination" and his side's crossing being "below standard".

Chelsea's attackers are finding it hard to score and key passes as Delap is back available in the League Cup against bottom-half Wolves on Wednesday (19:45 GMT), having been absent for 10 matches since picking up the problem in the victory over Fulham in last month.

Maresca stated the emerging talent will be phased in "carefully", and the new recruit's availability is important for a club facing scrutiny over their inconsistency, which has left the domestic cups their most realistic chance of securing honors this season.

Delap to Take Pressure Off Joao Pedro

Chelsea brought in Delap from the Championship side for thirty million pounds despite interest from the Red Devils, Newcastle United and Everton.

Yet the England Under-21s forward was second to £55m signing Joao Pedro in the pecking order at this recent international tournament - and with good reason.

Joao Pedro found the net three times in three matches as Chelsea claimed the first edition in the America. The Brazilian forward notched additional strikes and three setups in his initial four top-flight matches after joining from Brighton.

More of late, however, Joao Pedro has not scored in his past seven matches. Maresca revealed he is one of three squad members - 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 commented: "For sure the fitness aspect is vital. When you are not fully fit it's difficult to compete, notably in this division."

"Joao Pedro is not a traditional striker that is going to reach twenty strikes annually. Joao's a superb talent, he's going to get goals and provide assists but he's a distinctive forward to players who get 20 to 25 goals annually like the Bayern legend, [Kylian] Mbappe or the City striker."

Additional Concerns in Chelsea's Offense

Chelsea confront wider issues beyond their forwards and Joao Pedro's drought.

Attacker Cole Palmer has featured for ninety minutes twice all campaign and is not anticipated to feature from a groin injury until next month.

Wide player Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, acquired from Borussia Dortmund for a potential £52 million deal, has zero strikes and one goal contribution in 10 matches. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40 million signing from Manchester United, has one goal in seven games and induced an opposition error against Benfica.

Estevao Willian, eighteen, has shown promise since moving from Palmeiras for a potential £51 million deal, but has only two goals and a single assist - paralleling youth product Tyrique George.

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

Marc Cucurella, who got seven from defensive position last term, is still to score this season. Winger Pedro Neto has one score and two setups in his previous two fixtures, but before that scored only once in the first 10 games.

After thirteen games in various cups no attacker has above two scores, with midfielders Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's shared top goalscorers with four strikes.

Queried whether a shortage of clinical finishers means goals must come from multiple sources, Maresca said: "Definitely, yes. We frequently mentioned that the front five at the front, we need multiple goals per player, in the manner we achieved last season."

Maresca has found ways to challenge despite attacking inconsistency. Chelsea are second for free-kick and corner scores in the Premier League, one behind Arsenal. In addition, the Stamford Bridge side are the initial club to have ten various goalscorers in the first division this season.

Will Chelsea's Number Nine Curse Be Broken?

Some Chelsea fans think the center-forward number - taken by Delap in the off-season - is cursed. It had been vacant since last year, and squad members who sported it since 2006 have had goal droughts, including:

• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - a trio of scores in 21 games
• 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 72 games
• Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one score in 12 appearances
• Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 goals in one hundred seventy-two matches
• Franco di Santo (2008-10) - failed to score in sixteen matches
• Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one score in 25 appearances
• Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - failed to score in twenty matches

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

But Delap was unfazed when questioned about the hoodoo. "I don't believe [who believes in curses]," he commented at the international tournament.

"Ultimately it's a digit on the shirt of your uniform. It's just a figure that has always been related to strikers so it's something that I enjoy and there's no pressure."