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Attacker Liam Delap is coming back from a muscle issue at a time of need for Chelsea.

The West London club suffered a 2-1 defeat against unexpected challengers Sunderland at their stadium on recently, with manager Enzo Maresca blaming "insufficient imagination" and his side's crossing being "subpar".

Chelsea's attackers are struggling for goals and assists as Delap makes his comeback in the League Cup against bottom-half Wolves on this week (19:45 GMT), having been absent for 10 matches since sustaining the injury in the 2-0 win over Fulham in the summer.

Maresca said the emerging talent will be slowly integrated "gradually", and the new recruit's comeback is crucial for a side facing criticism over their mixed results, which has left the cup competitions their most realistic chance of winning a trophy this season.

Delap to Share Load With Joao Pedro

Chelsea brought in Delap from the Championship side for a £30 million fee despite interest from Manchester United, the Magpies and Everton.

Yet the young English striker was below expensive recruit Joao Pedro in the selection hierarchy at this recent international tournament - and with valid cause.

Joao Pedro registered a trio of strikes in three matches as Chelsea won the inaugural tournament in the America. The Brazil striker scored another two and three assists in his opening quartet of league fixtures after moving from the Seagulls.

More of late, however, Joao Pedro has been goalless in his previous seven fixtures. Maresca revealed he is one of three players - along with midfielders Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who presently require to be "protected".

When asked about Joao Pedro's drop in output, Maresca said: "Definitely the physical part is crucial. 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 score 20 goals every season. Joao's a superb talent, he's going to find the net and give assists but he's a alternative type of striker to those who net 20 to 25 goals annually like [Robert] Lewandowski, [Kylian] Mbappe or the Norwegian goal machine."

Additional Concerns in Chelsea's Attack

Chelsea deal with broader problems apart from their attackers and Joao Pedro's drought.

Winger Cole Palmer has played two full matches all campaign and is not anticipated to feature from a lower body issue until December.

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

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

Forward Marc Guiu and Brighton loanee Facundo Buonanotte have a single strike apiece.

Marc Cucurella, who got seven from defensive position last season, is yet to find the net this season. Wide man Pedro Neto has one goal and two goal contributions in his past two matches, but earlier found the net just once in the first 10 games.

After thirteen fixtures in every tournament no striker has more than two goals, with midfielders Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's joint top scorers with four goals.

Questioned whether a lack of natural goalscorers means goals must come from multiple sources, Maresca commented: "Absolutely, yes. We frequently mentioned that the five players at the attack, we need multiple goals per player, in the way we have done last campaign."

Maresca has discovered methods to challenge despite attacking inconsistency. Chelsea are second place for set-piece goals in the Premier League, one behind Arsenal. In furthermore, the Blues are the pioneering side to have ten various goalscorers in the top flight this campaign.

Will Chelsea's Number Nine Curse Be Broken?

Some Chelsea supporters believe the center-forward number - assigned to Delap in the summer - is jinxed. It had been available since 2023, and players who donned it since 2006 have found scoring difficult, including:

• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three strikes in 21 games
• Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - fifteen strikes in 58 appearances
• Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - thirty strikes in eighty-two matches
• Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five goals in nineteen matches
• Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 scores in 72 appearances
• Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - a single strike in twelve matches
• 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) - a single strike in 25 appearances
• Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - failed to score in 20 games

A engine room operator and backline player are among those listed, and some would contend Abraham ended the jinx with his performance, while famous attackers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink thrived with the number nine.

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

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