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

The West London club lost 2-1 against shock contenders Sunderland at their home ground on the weekend, with manager Enzo Maresca citing "limited inventiveness" and his side's crossing being "subpar".

Chelsea's forwards are struggling for goals and goal contributions as Delap is back available in the League Cup against struggling Wolves on midweek (prime time), having been absent for 10 matches since suffering the setback in the victory over Fulham in August.

Maresca stated the 22-year-old will be phased in "slowly", and the new recruit's availability is important for a side facing criticism over their inconsistency, which has left the cup competitions their best opportunity of claiming silverware this campaign.

Delap to Take Pressure Off Joao Pedro

Chelsea signed Delap from Ipswich Town for £30m despite pursuit by the Red Devils, Newcastle United and Everton.

Yet the young English striker was behind expensive recruit Joao Pedro in the team ranking at this recent international tournament - and with good reason.

Joao Pedro registered a trio of strikes in three appearances as Chelsea claimed the first edition in the America. The Seleção attacker added two more goals and three goal contributions in his opening quartet of league fixtures after joining from Brighton.

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

When questioned about Joao Pedro's drop in output, Maresca remarked: "For sure the physical part is vital. When you are not 100% it's challenging to excel, notably in this league."

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

Broader Issues in Chelsea's Forward Line

Chelsea face additional challenges apart from their attackers 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 the winter.

Attacking midfielder Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, brought in from Borussia Dortmund for a £52m package, has no goals and a single assist in ten games. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m recruit from Manchester United, has one score in seven matches and induced an opposition error against Benfica.

Estevao Willian, eighteen, has shown promise since moving from Palmeiras for a £51m package, but has just two strikes and a single assist - matching youth product Tyrique George.

Striker Marc Guiu and Seagulls temporary signing Facundo Buonanotte have one score each.

Marc Cucurella, who got seven from full-back last campaign, is without a goal this season. Winger Pedro Neto has one score and two setups in his previous two fixtures, but before that scored only once in the initial ten fixtures.

After thirteen fixtures in every tournament no forward has above two scores, with central players Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's shared top goalscorers with four strikes.

Questioned whether a absence of prolific strikers means responsibility must be shared, Maresca stated: "Definitely, yes. We said many times 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 found ways to be competitive despite offensive unpredictability. Chelsea are runner-up in set-piece goals in the top flight, trailing by one Arsenal. In addition, the West London club are the first team to have 10 different scorers in the first division this season.

Will Chelsea's Number Nine Curse Be Broken?

Some Chelsea fans think the striker's jersey - claimed by Delap in the transfer window - is cursed. It had been unoccupied since recently, and squad members who sported it since the mid-2000s have had goal droughts, including:

• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - a trio of scores in 21 appearances
• Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 goals in fifty-eight matches
• Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - thirty strikes in eighty-two matches
• Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five goals in 19 games
• Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 goals in 72 games
• Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one score in 12 appearances
• Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 scores in 172 games
• Franco di Santo (2008-10) - zero strikes in sixteen matches
• Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - a single strike in twenty-five matches
• Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - zero strikes in 20 games

A engine room operator and backline player are among those listed, and some would argue Abraham ended the jinx with his performance, while iconic forwards such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink thrived with the striker's jersey.

But Delap was unconcerned when asked about the curse. "I'm not the type of person [who believes in curses]," he commented 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 traditionally been associated to strikers so it's something that I like and there's zero expectation."