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Attacker Liam Delap is returning from a thigh problem at a important period for Chelsea.

The Blues were beaten 2-1 against shock contenders Sunderland at their home ground on the weekend, with head coach Enzo Maresca citing "insufficient imagination" and his squad's passes being "subpar".

Chelsea's strikers are struggling for goals and goal contributions as Delap makes his comeback in the Carabao Cup against bottom-half Wolves on this week (evening kickoff), having been absent for 10 matches since picking up the problem in the success over Fulham in August.

Maresca commented the emerging talent will be phased in "slowly", and the summer signing's return is crucial for a side facing criticism over their inconsistency, which has left the national tournaments their primary hope of winning a trophy this campaign.

Delap to Share Load With Joao Pedro

Chelsea brought in Delap from the Tractor Boys for a £30 million fee despite pursuit by Manchester United, Newcastle United and Everton.

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 good reason.

Joao Pedro found the net three times in three outings as Chelsea secured the maiden title in the United States. The Seleção attacker added two more goals and three setups in his initial four top-flight matches after arriving from Brighton.

More lately, however, Joao Pedro has not scored in his previous seven fixtures. Maresca revealed he is one of three players - along with engine room operators Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who presently require to be "handled carefully".

When questioned about Joao Pedro's drop in output, Maresca said: "For sure the conditioning element is crucial. When you are not 100% it's hard to perform, notably in this competition."

"Joao Pedro is not a number nine that is going to score 20 goals annually. Joao's a fantastic player, he's going to get goals and create chances but he's a distinctive forward to ones that score 20 to 25 goals every season like the Bayern legend, the PSG forward or [Erling] Haaland."

Additional Concerns in Chelsea's Offense

Chelsea confront wider issues beyond their strikers and Joao Pedro's scoreless streak.

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

Winger Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, brought in from Borussia Dortmund for a potential £52 million deal, has failed to score and a single assist in 10 matches. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40 million signing from Manchester United, has one score in seven outings and forced an own goal against Benfica.

Estevao Willian, 18, has shown promise since moving from Palmeiras for a fee rising to £51m, but has only two goals and one assist - equaling academy forward Tyrique George.

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

Marc Cucurella, who got seven from defensive position last campaign, is without a goal this term. Winger Pedro Neto has one goal and two assists in his last two games, but before that got only one goal in the opening ten matches.

After thirteen games in every tournament no forward has more than two goals, with engine room operators Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's shared top goalscorers with four.

Asked whether a absence of prolific strikers means goals must come from multiple sources, Maresca said: "Absolutely, 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 term."

Maresca has developed approaches to challenge despite offensive unpredictability. Chelsea are runner-up in set-piece goals in the English top division, one behind Arsenal. In moreover, the West London club are the first team to have 10 different scorers in the top flight this term.

Can Chelsea's Striker Jinx End?

Some Chelsea followers feel the center-forward number - taken by Delap in the transfer window - is jinxed. It had been available since last year, and footballers who wore it since the mid-2000s have struggled for goals, including:

• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three strikes in twenty-one matches
• Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 scores in 58 games
• Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 scores in eighty-two matches
• Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five goals in nineteen matches
• Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - twenty-four strikes 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) - no goals in 16 appearances
• Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - a single strike in 25 games
• Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - no goals in 20 games

A engine room operator and backline player are part of this selection, and some would contend Abraham lifted the hoodoo with his achievement, while iconic forwards such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink thrived with the number nine.

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

"In the final analysis it's a figure on the jersey of your uniform. It's just a digit that has historically been connected to attackers so it's something that I enjoy and there's zero expectation."