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Forward Liam Delap is recovering from a hamstring injury at a time of need for Chelsea.

The West London club were beaten 2-1 against surprise package Sunderland at their home ground on Saturday, with head coach Enzo Maresca blaming "limited inventiveness" and his squad's passes being "not the best".

Chelsea's strikers are finding it hard to score and goal contributions as Delap is back available in the EFL Cup against struggling Wolves on Wednesday (19:45 GMT), having sat out 10 fixtures since sustaining the injury in the 2-0 win over Fulham in August.

Maresca said the 22-year-old will be phased in "slowly", and the summer signing's availability is crucial for a team facing criticism over their unpredictability, which has left the cup competitions their primary hope of claiming silverware this season.

Delap to Share Load With Joao Pedro

Chelsea acquired Delap from the Tractor Boys for thirty million pounds despite pursuit by the Red Devils, the Magpies and Everton.

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

Joao Pedro found the net three times in three appearances as Chelsea won the inaugural tournament in the USA. The Brazilian forward scored another two and three goal contributions in his initial four top-flight matches after arriving from Brighton.

More of late, however, Joao Pedro has not scored in his last seven games. Maresca said he is one of three players - along with midfielders Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who at the moment demand to be "protected".

When queried about Joao Pedro's dip in form, Maresca remarked: "For sure the fitness aspect is vital. When you are not fully fit it's difficult to compete, particularly in this competition."

"Joao Pedro is not a classic center-forward that is going to net twenty times each year. Joao's a fantastic player, he's going to score and give assists but he's a alternative type of striker to players who get 20 to 25 goals every season like [Robert] Lewandowski, the PSG forward or the City striker."

Additional Concerns in Chelsea's Forward Line

Chelsea deal with wider issues beyond their forwards and Joao Pedro's scoreless streak.

Attacker Cole Palmer has played two full matches all term and is not anticipated to feature from a groin injury until December.

Attacking midfielder Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, acquired from Borussia Dortmund for a fee rising to £52m, has failed to score and a single assist in 10 matches. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40 million signing from Manchester United, has a single strike in seven outings and forced an own goal against Benfica.

Estevao Willian, the teenager, has impressed since arriving from Palmeiras for a potential £51 million deal, but has only two goals and one setup - equaling youth product Tyrique George.

Forward Marc Guiu and Brighton loanee Facundo Buonanotte have one goal each.

Marc Cucurella, who got seven from defensive position last term, is without a goal this campaign. Attacking player Pedro Neto has one goal and two goal contributions in his previous two fixtures, but before that found the net just once in the first 10 games.

After thirteen fixtures in all competitions no striker has more than two goals, with midfielders Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's shared top goalscorers with four strikes.

Questioned whether a absence of prolific strikers means responsibility must be shared, Maresca stated: "Definitely, yes. We said many times that the front five at the attack, we need multiple goals per player, in the manner we achieved last season."

Maresca has developed approaches to compete despite offensive unpredictability. Chelsea are runner-up in free-kick and corner scores in the top flight, trailing by one Arsenal. In moreover, the West London club are the pioneering side to have ten various goalscorers in the Premier League this campaign.

Will Chelsea's Number Nine Curse Be Broken?

Some Chelsea supporters feel the center-forward number - claimed by Delap in the off-season - is hexed. It had been vacant since 2023, 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 fifty-eight matches
• Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - thirty strikes in 82 games
• Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five goals in nineteen matches
• Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 goals in seventy-two matches
• Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one score in twelve matches
• Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 goals in one hundred seventy-two matches
• Franco di Santo (2008-10) - zero strikes in sixteen matches
• Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - a single strike in 25 games
• Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - no goals in 20 games

A central player and defensive specialist are part of this selection, and some would suggest Abraham lifted the hoodoo with his performance, while iconic forwards such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink thrived with the striker's jersey.

But Delap was unmoved when asked about the curse. "I don't believe [who believes in curses]," he commented at the Club World Cup.

"Ultimately it's a digit on the shirt of your shirt. It's just a figure that has always been related to attackers so it's something that I appreciate and there's zero expectation."