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Striker Liam Delap is returning from a muscle issue at a time of need for Chelsea.

The West London club lost 2-1 against shock contenders Sunderland at their stadium on Saturday, with manager Enzo Maresca attributing "a lack of creativity" and his team's delivery being "subpar".

Chelsea's strikers are finding it hard to score and key passes as Delap is back available in the Carabao Cup against bottom-half Wolves on Wednesday (prime time), having sat out 10 fixtures since sustaining the injury in the success over Fulham in last month.

Maresca said the 22-year-old will be phased in "gradually", and the recent acquisition's return is vital for a side facing criticism over their mixed results, which has left the national tournaments their primary hope of claiming silverware this term.

Delap to Ease Burden On Joao Pedro

Chelsea brought in Delap from Ipswich Town for £30m despite interest from Manchester United, St James' Park side and Goodison Park team.

Yet the young English striker was second to expensive recruit Joao Pedro in the pecking order at this summer's Club World Cup - and with solid justification.

Joao Pedro registered a trio of strikes in three appearances as Chelsea secured the maiden title in the America. The Brazil striker added two more goals and three setups in his first four Premier League games after moving from the Seagulls.

More lately, however, Joao Pedro has failed to score in his previous seven fixtures. Maresca stated he is one of three players - along with central players Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who currently need to be "shielded".

When queried about Joao Pedro's drop in output, Maresca said: "Certainly the conditioning element is vital. When you are not at peak condition it's challenging to excel, notably in this competition."

"Joao Pedro is not a number nine that is going to score 20 goals every season. Joao's a fantastic player, he's going to get goals and give assists but he's a alternative type of striker to players who get 20 to 25 goals every season like the Polish striker, [Kylian] Mbappe or [Erling] Haaland."

Broader Issues in Chelsea's Attack

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

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

Attacking midfielder Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, signed from Borussia Dortmund for a fee rising to £52m, has no goals and one assist in 10 matches. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m acquisition from Manchester United, has a single strike in seven games and caused an own goal against Benfica.

Estevao Willian, eighteen, has shown promise since arriving from Palmeiras for a potential £51 million deal, but has only two goals and a single assist - equaling academy forward Tyrique George.

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

Marc Cucurella, who scored seven from left-back last campaign, is yet to find the net this season. Winger Pedro Neto has one score and two goal contributions in his last two games, but prior to that scored only once in the initial ten fixtures.

After 13 matches in every tournament no attacker has above two scores, with midfielders Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's equal leading marksmen with four goals.

Asked whether a lack of natural goalscorers means duties need distributing, Maresca stated: "Absolutely, yes. We said many times that the quintet of attackers at the offense, we need multiple goals per player, in the manner we achieved last term."

Maresca has discovered methods to compete despite offensive unpredictability. Chelsea are second for free-kick and corner scores in the top flight, one behind Arsenal. In addition, the Stamford Bridge side are the first team to have ten various goalscorers in the Premier League this campaign.

Is the Number Nine Hoodoo About to Lift?

Some Chelsea followers think the number nine shirt - assigned to Delap in the transfer window - is cursed. It had been unoccupied since last year, and players who wore it since 2006 have struggled for goals, including:

• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three strikes in twenty-one matches
• Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - fifteen strikes in 58 games
• Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 goals in 82 appearances
• Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five scores 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 scores in 172 games
• Franco di Santo (2008-10) - zero strikes in 16 games
• Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one score in 25 games
• Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - zero strikes in twenty matches

A midfielder and backline player are among those listed, and some would contend Abraham lifted the hoodoo with his record, while famous attackers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink flourished with nine on their back.

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

"In the final analysis it's a number on the back of your uniform. It's just a number that has always been related to strikers so it's something that I enjoy and there's no pressure."