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Forward Liam Delap is recovering from a muscle issue at a important period for Chelsea.

The West London club were beaten 2-1 against surprise package Sunderland at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, with manager Enzo Maresca attributing "insufficient imagination" and his team's delivery being "subpar".

Chelsea's strikers are finding it hard to score and assists as Delap makes his comeback in the EFL Cup against bottom-half Wolves on this week (19:45 GMT), having been absent for 10 matches since suffering the setback in the victory over Fulham in last month.

Maresca commented the emerging talent will be slowly integrated "carefully", and the summer signing's availability is important for a side facing scrutiny over their unpredictability, which has left the domestic cups their best opportunity of winning a trophy this term.

Delap to Ease Burden On Joao Pedro

Chelsea acquired Delap from the Tractor Boys for a £30 million fee despite attention from Manchester United, St James' Park side and Goodison Park team.

Yet the England Under-21s forward was behind £55m signing Joao Pedro in the selection hierarchy at this recent international tournament - and with good reason.

Joao Pedro registered a trio of strikes in three outings as Chelsea won the inaugural tournament in the America. The Seleção attacker notched additional strikes and three goal contributions in his first four Premier League games after joining from Brighton.

More of late, however, Joao Pedro has been goalless in his last seven games. Maresca stated he is one of three players - along with midfielders Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who currently need to be "protected".

When questioned about Joao Pedro's drop in output, Maresca remarked: "Definitely the physical part is crucial. When you are not fully fit it's difficult to compete, especially in this league."

"Joao Pedro is not a number nine that is going to score 20 goals each year. Joao's a fantastic player, he's going to score and provide assists but he's a distinctive forward to players who get 20 to 25 goals annually like the Polish striker, [Kylian] Mbappe or the City striker."

Additional Concerns in Chelsea's Attack

Chelsea deal with broader problems beyond their forwards and Joao Pedro's drought.

Forward Cole Palmer has featured for ninety minutes twice all season and is not anticipated to feature from a groin problem until the winter.

Wide player Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, acquired from Borussia Dortmund for a £52m package, has zero strikes and one assist in ten appearances. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m recruit from Manchester United, has one goal in seven outings and forced an own goal against Benfica.

Estevao Willian, the teenager, has entertained since joining from Palmeiras for a potential £51 million deal, but has only two goals and one setup - matching academy forward Tyrique George.

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

Marc Cucurella, who got seven from defensive position last term, is still to score this term. Winger Pedro Neto has one goal and two setups in his past two matches, but before that got only one goal in the initial ten fixtures.

After thirteen games in all competitions no forward has more than two goals, with engine room operators Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's equal leading marksmen with four goals.

Queried whether a absence of prolific strikers means duties need distributing, Maresca said: "Absolutely, yes. We repeatedly stated that the front five at the attack, we need six, seven, eight, nine, 10 goals each, in the fashion we managed last campaign."

Maresca has developed approaches to challenge despite goal-scoring variability. Chelsea are second place for free-kick and corner scores in the English top division, one behind Arsenal. In moreover, the Blues are the pioneering side to have 10 different scorers in the Premier League this season.

Is the Number Nine Hoodoo About to Lift?

Some Chelsea supporters believe the striker's jersey - taken by Delap in the off-season - is cursed. It had been unoccupied since last year, and players who sported it since the mid-2000s have struggled for goals, including:

• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three goals in twenty-one matches
• Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 goals in fifty-eight matches
• Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - thirty strikes in 82 games
• Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five goals in nineteen matches
• Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - twenty-four strikes in seventy-two matches
• Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one goal in twelve matches
• Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 scores in 172 games
• Franco di Santo (2008-10) - no goals in sixteen matches
• Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one score in 25 appearances
• Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - failed to score in twenty matches

A central player and backline player are part of this selection, and some would argue Abraham ended the jinx with his performance, while famous attackers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink excelled with the striker's jersey.

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

"At the end of the day it's a number on the back of your uniform. It's just a digit that has always been related to forwards so it's something that I appreciate and there's no pressure."