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

The Blues suffered a 2-1 defeat against surprise package Sunderland at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, with head coach Enzo Maresca attributing "a lack of creativity" and his squad's passes being "not the best".

Chelsea's attackers are finding it hard to score and goal contributions as Delap makes his comeback in the Carabao Cup against bottom-half Wolves on midweek (prime time), having missed 10 games since sustaining the injury in the victory over Fulham in August.

Maresca stated the emerging talent will be phased in "gradually", and the summer signing's comeback is vital for a team facing criticism over their inconsistency, which has left the domestic cups their most realistic chance of securing honors this season.

Delap to Ease Burden On Joao Pedro

Chelsea signed Delap from the Championship side for a £30 million fee despite interest from the Red Devils, Newcastle United and the Toffees.

Yet the Three Lions prospect was below £55m signing Joao Pedro in the selection hierarchy at this global competition - and with solid justification.

Joao Pedro registered a trio of strikes in three appearances as Chelsea won the inaugural tournament in the United States. The Brazilian forward 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 failed to score in his previous seven fixtures. Maresca said he is one of a trio of players - along with central players Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who at the moment demand to be "protected".

When asked about Joao Pedro's dip in form, Maresca said: "Certainly the conditioning element is crucial. When you are not fully fit it's challenging to excel, particularly in this league."

"Joao Pedro is not a traditional striker that is going to score 20 goals each year. Joao's a fantastic player, he's going to find the net and create chances but he's a alternative type of striker to ones that score 20 to 25 goals annually like the Bayern legend, the PSG forward or the City striker."

Wider Problems in Chelsea's Attack

Chelsea face wider issues in addition to their strikers and Joao Pedro's goalless run.

Attacker Cole Palmer has completed two games all term and is unlikely to be back from a groin problem until the winter.

Winger Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, brought in from Borussia Dortmund for a fee rising to £52m, has no goals and a single assist in ten appearances. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40 million signing from Manchester United, has one score 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 merely two scores and a single assist - paralleling homegrown talent Tyrique George.

Forward Marc Guiu and Brighton loanee Facundo Buonanotte have one goal each.

Marc Cucurella, who got seven from full-back last campaign, is without a goal this campaign. Winger Pedro Neto has a single strike and two goal contributions in his last two games, but earlier found the net just once in the initial ten fixtures.

After thirteen games in various cups no forward has above two scores, with engine room operators Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's shared top goalscorers with four.

Questioned whether a absence of prolific strikers means duties need distributing, Maresca stated: "Certainly, yes. We repeatedly stated that the quintet of attackers at the offense, we need six, seven, eight, nine, 10 goals each, in the fashion we managed last season."

Maresca has discovered methods to compete despite attacking inconsistency. Chelsea are runner-up in dead-ball situations in the top flight, one less than Arsenal. In furthermore, the West London club are the initial club to have 10 different scorers in the top flight this campaign.

Is the Number Nine Hoodoo About to Lift?

Some Chelsea followers think the center-forward number - claimed by Delap in the off-season - is cursed. It had been unoccupied since recently, and players who donned it since 2006 have had goal droughts, 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) - 30 goals in 82 appearances
• Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five scores in 19 games
• Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 goals in 72 appearances
• Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one goal in 12 games
• Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): forty-five strikes in 172 games
• Franco di Santo (2008-10) - zero strikes in 16 appearances
• Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one goal in 25 appearances
• Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - failed to score in twenty matches

A midfielder and backline player are among those listed, and some would argue Abraham lifted the hoodoo with his performance, while famous attackers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink thrived with the striker's jersey.

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

"In the final analysis it's a figure on the jersey of your shirt. It's just a number that has traditionally been associated to forwards so it's something that I enjoy and there's no added burden."