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Attacker Liam Delap is recovering from a muscle issue at a time of need for Chelsea.

The West London club suffered a 2-1 defeat against unexpected challengers Sunderland at their home ground on recently, with head coach Enzo Maresca attributing "insufficient imagination" and his squad's passes being "below standard".

Chelsea's attackers are struggling for goals and goal contributions as Delap returns in the EFL Cup against bottom-half Wolves on midweek (19:45 GMT), having missed 10 games since sustaining the injury in the 2-0 win over Fulham in the summer.

Maresca said the emerging talent will be gradually introduced "gradually", and the summer signing's availability is important for a team facing scrutiny over their mixed results, which has left the cup competitions their primary hope of claiming silverware this season.

Delap to Ease Burden On Joao Pedro

Chelsea signed Delap from Ipswich Town for £30m 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 selection hierarchy at this summer's Club World Cup - and with valid cause.

Joao Pedro registered a trio of strikes in three appearances as Chelsea won the inaugural tournament in the America. The Brazilian forward scored another two and three setups in his first four Premier League games after arriving from Brighton.

More recently, however, Joao Pedro has been goalless in his previous seven fixtures. Maresca said he is one of three players - along with midfielders Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who presently require to be "handled carefully".

When queried about Joao Pedro's decline in performance, Maresca commented: "Certainly the conditioning element is important. When you are not fully fit it's challenging to excel, particularly in this division."

"Joao Pedro is not a number nine that is going to score 20 goals each year. Joao's a superb talent, he's going to find the net and provide assists but he's a different kind of nine to players who get 20 to 25 goals every season like the Polish striker, the French superstar or the City striker."

Wider Problems in Chelsea's Attack

Chelsea face additional challenges beyond their forwards and Joao Pedro's drought.

Winger Cole Palmer has featured for ninety minutes twice all season and is unlikely to be back from a groin injury until the winter.

Wide player Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, signed from Borussia Dortmund for a £52m package, has no goals and a single assist in ten appearances. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40 million signing from Manchester United, has a single strike in seven matches and caused an own goal against Benfica.

Estevao Willian, 18, has impressed since joining from Palmeiras for a fee rising to £51m, but has merely two scores and one setup - equaling youth product Tyrique George.

Forward Marc Guiu and Seagulls temporary signing Facundo Buonanotte have a single strike apiece.

Marc Cucurella, who got seven from left-back last season, is still to score this season. Wide man Pedro Neto has a single strike and two setups in his past two matches, but earlier scored only once in the first 10 games.

After thirteen games in all competitions no striker has above two scores, with central players Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's joint top scorers with four.

Queried whether a absence of prolific strikers means responsibility must be shared, Maresca commented: "Absolutely, yes. We frequently mentioned that the five players at the front, 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 second for dead-ball situations in the top flight, one less than Arsenal. In addition, the Stamford Bridge side are the first team to have ten various goalscorers in the Premier League this term.

Is the Number Nine Hoodoo About to Lift?

Some Chelsea supporters feel the striker's jersey - claimed by Delap in the transfer window - is cursed. It had been unoccupied since recently, and squad members who sported it since the mid-2000s have had goal droughts, including:

• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three strikes in 21 appearances
• Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 goals in 58 appearances
• Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 goals in 82 games
• Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five strikes in nineteen matches
• Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 goals in seventy-two matches
• Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one goal in 12 games
• Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): forty-five strikes in one hundred seventy-two matches
• Franco di Santo (2008-10) - zero strikes in 16 appearances
• Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - a single strike in 25 games
• Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - failed to score in 20 games

A midfielder and defender are among those listed, and some would suggest Abraham ended the jinx with his achievement, while legendary strikers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink thrived with the striker's jersey.

But Delap was unfazed when queried about the hoodoo. "I don't believe [who believes in curses]," he said at the global competition.

"In the final analysis it's a number on the back of your kit. It's just a figure that has traditionally been associated to attackers so it's something that I like and there's no added burden."