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Attacker Liam Delap is recovering from a thigh problem at a time of need for Chelsea.

The Blues lost 2-1 against shock contenders Sunderland at their home ground on the weekend, with manager Enzo Maresca blaming "insufficient imagination" and his side's crossing being "not the best".

Chelsea's strikers are struggling for goals and goal contributions as Delap is back available in the Carabao Cup against bottom-half Wolves on midweek (19:45 GMT), having sat out 10 fixtures since picking up the problem in the victory over Fulham in August.

Maresca commented the 22-year-old will be gradually introduced "carefully", and the recent acquisition's return is vital for a side facing criticism over their unpredictability, which has left the cup competitions their best opportunity of winning a trophy this term.

Delap to Ease Burden On Joao Pedro

Chelsea brought in Delap from Ipswich Town for £30m despite interest from Old Trafford club, the Magpies and the Toffees.

Yet the Three Lions prospect was below £55 million acquisition Joao Pedro in the selection hierarchy at this global competition - and with solid justification.

Joao Pedro scored three goals in three appearances as Chelsea secured the maiden title in the America. The Brazil striker notched additional strikes and three setups in his opening quartet of league fixtures after arriving from Brighton.

More of late, however, Joao Pedro has been goalless in his previous seven fixtures. Maresca revealed he is one of three squad members - along with midfielders Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who currently need to be "handled carefully".

When queried about Joao Pedro's decline in performance, Maresca commented: "For sure the conditioning element is vital. When you are not 100% it's difficult to compete, particularly in this division."

"Joao Pedro is not a classic center-forward that is going to reach twenty strikes each year. Joao's a excellent footballer, he's going to get goals and give assists but he's a alternative type of striker to ones that score 20 to 25 goals each year like [Robert] Lewandowski, the PSG forward or the Norwegian goal machine."

Additional Concerns in Chelsea's Offense

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

Attacker Cole Palmer has played two full matches all term and is not expected return from a groin problem until December.

Wide player Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, brought in from Borussia Dortmund for a £52m package, has no goals and one goal contribution in ten appearances. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m recruit from Manchester United, has one score in seven matches and forced an own goal against Benfica.

Estevao Willian, 18, has shown promise since joining from Palmeiras for a £51m package, but has just two strikes and a single assist - equaling academy forward Tyrique George.

Forward Marc Guiu and loan signing Facundo Buonanotte have one score each.

Marc Cucurella, who got seven from full-back last season, is without a goal this term. Attacking player Pedro Neto has one score and two setups in his past two matches, but prior to that scored only once in the opening ten matches.

After thirteen fixtures in every tournament no forward has above two scores, with central players Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's shared top goalscorers with four goals.

Questioned whether a absence of prolific strikers means responsibility must be shared, Maresca said: "Certainly, yes. We frequently mentioned that the front five at the attack, we need six, seven, eight, nine, 10 goals each, in the way we have done last campaign."

Maresca has discovered methods to challenge despite offensive unpredictability. Chelsea are runner-up in set-piece goals in the top flight, one behind Arsenal. In moreover, the Stamford Bridge side are the first team to have ten distinct net-finders in the Premier League this campaign.

Will Chelsea's Number Nine Curse Be Broken?

Some Chelsea followers think the striker's jersey - taken by Delap in the summer - is jinxed. It had been unoccupied since recently, and footballers who sported it since 2006 have struggled for goals, including:

• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - a trio of scores in 21 appearances
• 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 goals in 19 appearances
• Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - twenty-four strikes in seventy-two matches
• 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) - zero strikes in 16 appearances
• Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - a single strike in twenty-five matches
• Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - zero strikes in 20 games

A central player and defender are included in this group, and some would suggest Abraham lifted the hoodoo with his achievement, while legendary strikers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink excelled with the striker's jersey.

But Delap was unconcerned when queried about the jinx. "I don't believe [who believes in curses]," he stated at the Club World Cup.

"Ultimately it's a figure on the jersey of your uniform. It's just a figure that has traditionally been associated to forwards so it's something that I appreciate and there's zero expectation."