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Forward Liam Delap is coming back from a thigh problem at a crucial moment for Chelsea.

The West London club were beaten 2-1 against surprise package Sunderland at Stamford Bridge on recently, with manager Enzo Maresca attributing "a lack of creativity" and his squad's passes being "subpar".

Chelsea's strikers are struggling for goals and goal contributions as Delap returns in the League Cup against bottom-half Wolves on Wednesday (evening kickoff), having been absent for 10 matches since picking up the problem in the 2-0 win over Fulham in the summer.

Maresca stated the young striker will be slowly integrated "gradually", and the summer signing's return is important for a side facing criticism over their unpredictability, which has left the national tournaments their primary hope of winning a trophy this term.

Delap to Take Pressure Off Joao Pedro

Chelsea acquired Delap from Ipswich Town for £30m despite pursuit by Manchester United, Newcastle United and Goodison Park team.

Yet the England Under-21s forward was below expensive recruit Joao Pedro in the team ranking at this global competition - and with valid cause.

Joao Pedro registered a trio of strikes in three appearances as Chelsea secured the maiden title in the United States. The Seleção attacker notched additional strikes and three goal contributions in his opening quartet of league fixtures after moving from the Seagulls.

More recently, however, Joao Pedro has been goalless in his previous seven fixtures. Maresca stated he is one of three players - along with central players Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who at the moment demand to be "handled carefully".

When asked about Joao Pedro's dip in form, Maresca commented: "Definitely the physical part is vital. When you are not fully fit it's difficult to compete, especially in this competition."

"Joao Pedro is not a traditional striker that is going to net twenty times every season. Joao's a superb talent, he's going to score and provide assists but he's a distinctive forward to players who get 20 to 25 goals every season like the Polish striker, [Kylian] Mbappe or the City striker."

Broader Issues in Chelsea's Forward Line

Chelsea confront broader problems in addition to their strikers and Joao Pedro's drought.

Winger Cole Palmer has featured for ninety minutes twice all campaign and is not anticipated to feature from a lower body issue until December.

Attacking midfielder Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, signed from Borussia Dortmund for a fee rising to £52m, has zero strikes and one goal contribution in ten games. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m acquisition from Manchester United, has one score in seven matches and forced an own goal against Benfica.

Estevao Willian, eighteen, has impressed since arriving from Palmeiras for a fee rising to £51m, but has just two strikes and a single assist - paralleling academy forward Tyrique George.

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

Marc Cucurella, who got seven from left-back last season, is yet to find the net this campaign. Winger Pedro Neto has one score and two assists in his previous two fixtures, but before that got only one goal in the first 10 games.

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

Asked whether a absence of prolific strikers means goals must come from multiple sources, Maresca stated: "Absolutely, yes. We frequently mentioned that the quintet of attackers at the offense, we need numerous strikes from each, in the manner we achieved last campaign."

Maresca has developed approaches to challenge despite offensive unpredictability. Chelsea are second for set-piece goals in the top flight, one less than Arsenal. In furthermore, the Blues are the first team to have 10 different scorers in the Premier League this season.

Will Chelsea's Number Nine Curse Be Broken?

Some Chelsea supporters believe the center-forward number - assigned to Delap in the summer - is hexed. It had been unoccupied since recently, and footballers who wore it since 2006 have found scoring difficult, including:

• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - a trio of scores in 21 appearances
• Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 goals in fifty-eight matches
• Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 scores in 82 appearances
• Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five strikes in nineteen matches
• Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 scores in 72 games
• Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one score in 12 games
• Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): forty-five strikes in 172 games
• Franco di Santo (2008-10) - no goals in 16 games
• Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one goal in 25 appearances
• Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - zero strikes in 20 appearances

A central player and defender are part of this selection, and some would contend Abraham lifted the hoodoo with his record, while famous attackers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink flourished with the number nine.

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

"At the end of the day it's a digit on the shirt of your shirt. It's just a number that has historically been connected to strikers so it's something that I like and there's no pressure."