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Striker Liam Delap is recovering from a hamstring injury at a important period for Chelsea.

The West London club were beaten 2-1 against shock contenders Sunderland at their stadium on Saturday, with manager Enzo Maresca citing "a lack of creativity" and his team's delivery being "below standard".

Chelsea's attackers are having difficulty finding the net and assists as Delap is back available in the League Cup against bottom-half Wolves on this week (19:45 GMT), having been absent for 10 matches since picking up the problem in the 2-0 win over Fulham in the summer.

Maresca said the emerging talent will be slowly integrated "gradually", and the recent acquisition's return is vital for a side facing scrutiny over their inconsistency, which has left the cup competitions their primary hope of claiming silverware this term.

Delap to Ease Burden On Joao Pedro

Chelsea signed Delap from the Tractor Boys for thirty million pounds despite interest from Manchester United, the Magpies and Goodison Park team.

Yet the young English striker was below £55m signing Joao Pedro in the selection hierarchy at this recent international tournament - and with valid cause.

Joao Pedro found the net three times in three appearances as Chelsea won the inaugural tournament in the United States. The Brazil striker notched additional strikes and three goal contributions in his initial four top-flight matches after moving from the Seagulls.

More lately, however, Joao Pedro has failed to score in his last seven games. Maresca said he is one of three players - along with central players Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who currently need to be "shielded".

When asked about Joao Pedro's drop in output, Maresca said: "Certainly the fitness aspect is important. When you are not 100% it's hard to perform, especially in this competition."

"Joao Pedro is not a classic center-forward that is going to score 20 goals every season. Joao's a fantastic player, he's going to score and give assists but he's a distinctive forward to ones that score 20 to 25 goals each year like [Robert] Lewandowski, the French superstar or [Erling] Haaland."

Broader Issues in Chelsea's Attack

Chelsea face broader problems beyond their forwards and Joao Pedro's scoreless streak.

Winger Cole Palmer has played two full matches all campaign and is not expected return 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 recruit from Manchester United, has one score in seven games and induced an opposition error against Benfica.

Estevao Willian, 18, has entertained since arriving from Palmeiras for a potential £51 million deal, but has just two strikes and one setup - paralleling academy forward Tyrique George.

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

Marc Cucurella, who got seven from defensive position last season, is yet to find the net this term. Attacking player Pedro Neto has one goal and two goal contributions in his past two matches, but earlier got only one goal in the first 10 games.

After thirteen games in various cups no attacker has more than two goals, with engine room operators Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's shared top goalscorers with four.

Asked whether a lack of natural goalscorers means goals must come from multiple sources, Maresca said: "Certainly, yes. We said many times that the front five at the front, we need numerous strikes from each, in the fashion we managed last season."

Maresca has discovered methods to be competitive despite offensive unpredictability. Chelsea are second place for dead-ball situations in the Premier League, one less than Arsenal. In moreover, the Stamford Bridge side are the pioneering side to have ten various goalscorers in the first division this campaign.

Can Chelsea's Striker Jinx End?

Some Chelsea fans believe the center-forward number - claimed by Delap in the transfer window - is hexed. It had been unoccupied since last year, and footballers who donned it since the mid-2000s have struggled for goals, including:

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

A midfielder and defender are among those listed, and some would suggest Abraham lifted the hoodoo with his achievement, while famous attackers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink thrived with nine on their back.

But Delap was unfazed when questioned about the curse. "I don't believe [who believes in curses]," he said at the global competition.

"Ultimately it's a figure on the jersey of your shirt. It's just a digit that has historically been connected to forwards so it's something that I like and there's no pressure."