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Striker Liam Delap is returning from a muscle issue at a crucial moment for Chelsea.

The West London club lost 2-1 against surprise package Sunderland at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, with head coach Enzo Maresca attributing "a lack of creativity" and his side's crossing being "not the best".

Chelsea's strikers are finding it hard to score and key passes as Delap is back available in the League Cup against struggling Wolves on Wednesday (prime time), having missed 10 games since suffering the setback in the success over Fulham in last month.

Maresca said the 22-year-old will be gradually introduced "gradually", and the summer signing's return is important for a team facing criticism over their inconsistency, which has left the domestic cups their most realistic chance of securing honors this campaign.

Delap to Take Pressure Off Joao Pedro

Chelsea signed Delap from Ipswich Town for a £30 million fee despite pursuit by Manchester United, the Magpies and the Toffees.

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

Joao Pedro found the net three times in three appearances as Chelsea won the inaugural tournament in the United States. The Seleção attacker added two more goals and three assists in his initial four top-flight matches after arriving from Brighton.

More recently, however, Joao Pedro has not scored in his last seven games. Maresca revealed he is one of a trio of players - along with central players Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who currently need to be "protected".

When asked about Joao Pedro's decline in performance, Maresca remarked: "For sure the conditioning element is vital. When you are not 100% it's hard to perform, particularly in this league."

"Joao Pedro is not a traditional striker that is going to score 20 goals every season. Joao's a excellent footballer, he's going to get goals and create chances but he's a distinctive forward to those who net 20 to 25 goals annually like the Bayern legend, the French superstar or the Norwegian goal machine."

Additional Concerns in Chelsea's Attack

Chelsea deal with wider issues beyond their attackers and Joao Pedro's drought.

Forward Cole Palmer has played two full matches 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 fee rising to £52m, has failed to score and one assist in 10 matches. 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 shown promise since arriving from Palmeiras for a fee rising to £51m, but has merely two scores and one assist - matching homegrown talent Tyrique George.

Attacker Marc Guiu and loan signing Facundo Buonanotte have one score each.

Marc Cucurella, who got seven from defensive position last term, is still to score this term. Attacking player Pedro Neto has one goal and two assists in his previous two fixtures, but earlier found the net just once in the opening ten matches.

After thirteen games in various cups no forward has above two scores, with midfielders Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's joint top scorers with four.

Queried whether a absence of prolific strikers means responsibility must be shared, Maresca commented: "Certainly, yes. We repeatedly stated that the five players at the front, we need multiple goals per player, in the way we have done last campaign."

Maresca has developed approaches to compete despite attacking inconsistency. Chelsea are runner-up in free-kick and corner scores in the Premier League, trailing by one Arsenal. In addition, the West London club are the first team to have ten various goalscorers in the Premier League this term.

Can Chelsea's Striker Jinx End?

Some Chelsea fans think the center-forward number - taken by Delap in the off-season - is cursed. It had been available since recently, and players who sported it since 2006 have found scoring difficult, including:

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

A midfielder and defender are part of this selection, and some would argue Abraham ended the jinx with his record, while famous attackers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink thrived with nine on their back.

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

"In the final analysis it's a digit on the shirt of your kit. It's just a number that has traditionally been associated to strikers so it's something that I appreciate and there's no pressure."