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Forward Liam Delap is recovering from a thigh problem at a time of need for Chelsea.

The Blues suffered a 2-1 defeat against shock contenders Sunderland at their stadium on the weekend, with boss Enzo Maresca attributing "insufficient imagination" and his side's crossing being "below standard".

Chelsea's strikers are struggling for goals and key passes as Delap is back available in the League Cup against struggling Wolves on Wednesday (19:45 GMT), having missed 10 games since sustaining the injury in the 2-0 win over Fulham in August.

Maresca stated the emerging talent will be gradually introduced "gradually", and the recent acquisition's availability is vital for a side facing scrutiny over their unpredictability, which has left the national tournaments their most realistic chance of securing honors this term.

Delap to Share Load With Joao Pedro

Chelsea signed Delap from Ipswich Town for thirty million pounds despite attention from Old Trafford club, Newcastle United and Goodison Park team.

Yet the Three Lions prospect was below expensive recruit Joao Pedro in the pecking order at this global competition - and with valid cause.

Joao Pedro scored three goals in three matches as Chelsea won the inaugural tournament in the United States. The Brazil striker scored another two and three assists in his first four Premier League games after arriving from Brighton.

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

When asked about Joao Pedro's drop in output, Maresca remarked: "Certainly the physical part is vital. When you are not 100% it's hard to perform, notably in this league."

"Joao Pedro is not a number nine that is going to net twenty times annually. Joao's a superb talent, he's going to score and provide assists but he's a alternative type of striker to ones that score 20 to 25 goals annually like [Robert] Lewandowski, the PSG forward or the Norwegian goal machine."

Broader Issues in Chelsea's Attack

Chelsea confront additional challenges apart from their forwards and Joao Pedro's goalless run.

Winger Cole Palmer has completed two games all season and is not anticipated to feature from a groin problem until December.

Attacking midfielder Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, signed from Borussia Dortmund for a fee rising to £52m, has zero strikes and one assist in ten appearances. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m acquisition from Manchester United, has a single strike in seven outings and induced an opposition error against Benfica.

Estevao Willian, the teenager, has entertained since joining from Palmeiras for a £51m package, but has only two goals and one assist - equaling academy forward Tyrique George.

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

Marc Cucurella, who got seven from left-back last term, is still to score this season. Wide man Pedro Neto has one goal and two assists in his last two games, but prior to that got only one goal in the first 10 games.

After 13 matches in every tournament no attacker has above two scores, with midfielders Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's equal leading marksmen with four.

Questioned whether a absence of prolific strikers means responsibility must be shared, Maresca stated: "Certainly, yes. We said many times that the front five at the offense, we need multiple goals per player, in the fashion we managed last term."

Maresca has developed approaches to compete despite offensive unpredictability. Chelsea are runner-up in dead-ball situations in the English top division, one behind Arsenal. In furthermore, the Stamford Bridge side are the first team to have ten distinct net-finders in the top flight this season.

Can Chelsea's Striker Jinx End?

Some Chelsea followers believe the striker's jersey - assigned to Delap in the off-season - is hexed. It had been available since 2023, and players who sported it since the mid-2000s have found scoring difficult, including:

• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - a trio of scores in 21 games
• Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 goals in 58 games
• Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - thirty strikes in 82 games
• Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five strikes in 19 appearances
• Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 scores in 72 games
• Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one goal in 12 games
• Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 goals in 172 games
• Franco di Santo (2008-10) - zero strikes in 16 appearances
• Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one score in 25 games
• Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - no goals in twenty matches

A engine room operator and backline player are part of this selection, and some would contend Abraham broke the curse with his performance, while famous attackers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink excelled with nine on their back.

But Delap was unconcerned when queried about the curse. "I'm not one [who believes in curses]," he said at the global competition.

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