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Forward Liam Delap is coming back from a hamstring injury at a time of need for Chelsea.

The Blues were beaten 2-1 against surprise package Sunderland at their stadium on Saturday, with boss Enzo Maresca citing "insufficient imagination" and his side's crossing being "not the best".

Chelsea's forwards are having difficulty finding the net and assists as Delap makes his comeback in the EFL Cup against lowly Wolves on Wednesday (19:45 GMT), having been absent for 10 matches since picking up the problem in the 2-0 win over Fulham in the summer.

Maresca stated the 22-year-old will be slowly integrated "carefully", and the new recruit's availability is crucial for a team facing questions over their inconsistency, which has left the domestic cups their best opportunity of winning a trophy this season.

Delap to Ease Burden On Joao Pedro

Chelsea signed Delap from the Championship side for thirty million pounds despite pursuit by Old Trafford club, the Magpies and Everton.

Yet the young English striker was behind £55 million acquisition Joao Pedro in the selection hierarchy at this summer's Club World Cup - and with solid justification.

Joao Pedro scored three goals in three matches as Chelsea secured the maiden title in the USA. The Brazilian forward added two more goals and three assists in his initial four top-flight matches after joining from Brighton.

More recently, however, Joao Pedro has not scored in his previous seven fixtures. Maresca stated he is one of a trio of players - along with engine room operators Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who at the moment demand to be "shielded".

When questioned about Joao Pedro's decline in performance, Maresca said: "For sure the conditioning element is important. When you are not fully fit it's difficult to compete, especially in this league."

"Joao Pedro is not a traditional striker that is going to net twenty times each year. Joao's a excellent footballer, he's going to get goals and create chances but he's a alternative type of striker to players who get 20 to 25 goals every season like the Polish striker, the French superstar or the City striker."

Broader Issues in Chelsea's Forward Line

Chelsea confront additional challenges beyond their strikers and Joao Pedro's drought.

Forward Cole Palmer has completed two games all campaign and is unlikely to be back from a groin injury until next month.

Winger Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, acquired from Borussia Dortmund for a £52m package, has no goals and one goal contribution in 10 matches. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m recruit from Manchester United, has one goal in seven games and forced an own goal against Benfica.

Estevao Willian, the teenager, has entertained since arriving from Palmeiras for a £51m package, but has just two strikes and a single assist - equaling academy forward Tyrique George.

Forward Marc Guiu and Seagulls temporary signing Facundo Buonanotte have one goal each.

Marc Cucurella, who notched seven from left-back last term, is without a goal this season. Wide man Pedro Neto has a single strike and two setups in his last two games, but earlier found the net just once in the initial ten fixtures.

After thirteen fixtures in all competitions no attacker has over two strikes, with midfielders Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's joint top scorers with four strikes.

Questioned whether a lack of natural goalscorers means duties need distributing, Maresca commented: "Certainly, yes. We frequently mentioned that the quintet of attackers at the front, we need six, seven, eight, nine, 10 goals each, in the manner we achieved last season."

Maresca has discovered methods to challenge despite goal-scoring variability. Chelsea are second place for set-piece goals in the top flight, trailing by one Arsenal. In furthermore, the West London club are the initial club to have ten distinct net-finders in the top flight this campaign.

Can Chelsea's Striker Jinx End?

Some Chelsea supporters think the center-forward number - taken by Delap in the transfer window - is cursed. It had been vacant since last year, and squad members who donned it since the mid-2000s have struggled for goals, including:

• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - a trio of scores in 21 games
• Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - fifteen strikes in fifty-eight matches
• Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - thirty strikes in eighty-two matches
• Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five goals in 19 appearances
• Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 scores in seventy-two matches
• Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - a single strike in 12 appearances
• Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 goals in one hundred seventy-two matches
• Franco di Santo (2008-10) - failed to score in 16 games
• Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - a single strike in 25 games
• Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - failed to score in 20 appearances

A midfielder and defensive specialist are among those listed, and some would suggest Abraham ended the jinx with his record, while famous attackers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink flourished with the number nine.

But Delap was unmoved when queried about the hoodoo. "I don't believe [who believes in curses]," he said at the global competition.

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