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

The West London club were beaten 2-1 against unexpected challengers Sunderland at their stadium on the weekend, with boss Enzo Maresca blaming "limited inventiveness" and his team's delivery being "not the best".

Chelsea's forwards are finding it hard to score and goal contributions as Delap makes his comeback in the EFL Cup against struggling Wolves on Wednesday (evening kickoff), having missed 10 games since picking up the problem in the victory over Fulham in the summer.

Maresca stated the 22-year-old will be phased in "slowly", and the summer signing's comeback is vital for a team facing questions over their inconsistency, which has left the cup competitions their primary hope 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, Newcastle United and Everton.

Yet the Three Lions prospect was below £55 million acquisition Joao Pedro in the pecking order at this global competition - and with valid cause.

Joao Pedro scored three goals in three appearances as Chelsea secured the maiden title in the United States. The Seleção attacker added two more goals and three goal contributions in his initial four top-flight matches after arriving from Brighton.

More of late, however, Joao Pedro has failed to score in his past seven matches. Maresca stated he is one of three squad members - along with central players Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who at the moment demand to be "handled carefully".

When queried about Joao Pedro's dip in form, Maresca remarked: "For sure the physical part is important. When you are not fully fit it's difficult to compete, particularly in this league."

"Joao Pedro is not a traditional striker 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 every season like the Bayern legend, the French superstar or the City striker."

Additional Concerns in Chelsea's Forward Line

Chelsea face wider issues apart from their forwards and Joao Pedro's scoreless streak.

Winger Cole Palmer has played two full matches all season and is not expected return from a groin injury until next month.

Wide player Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, signed from Borussia Dortmund for a £52m package, has zero strikes and one assist in 10 matches. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40 million signing from Manchester United, has one goal in seven outings and forced an own goal against Benfica.

Estevao Willian, 18, has entertained since joining from Palmeiras for a fee rising to £51m, but has only two goals and a single assist - matching youth product Tyrique George.

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

Marc Cucurella, who notched seven from full-back last campaign, is still to score this term. Attacking player Pedro Neto has a single strike and two setups in his past two matches, but earlier scored only once in the initial ten fixtures.

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

Queried whether a lack of natural goalscorers means goals must come from multiple sources, Maresca said: "Certainly, yes. We frequently mentioned that the front five at the front, we need six, seven, eight, nine, 10 goals each, in the manner we achieved last campaign."

Maresca has found ways to challenge despite goal-scoring variability. Chelsea are runner-up in free-kick and corner scores in the Premier League, one less than Arsenal. In furthermore, the West London club are the first team to have ten various goalscorers in the top flight this season.

Will Chelsea's Number Nine Curse Be Broken?

Some Chelsea supporters think the center-forward number - assigned to Delap in the summer - is hexed. It had been unoccupied since 2023, and players who donned it since 2006 have had goal droughts, including:

• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three goals in 21 appearances
• 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 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): forty-five strikes in 172 games
• Franco di Santo (2008-10) - no goals in 16 games
• Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one goal in 25 appearances
• Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - no goals in 20 appearances

A midfielder and defender are included in this group, and some would contend Abraham broke the curse with his performance, while famous attackers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink flourished with nine on their back.

But Delap was unmoved when questioned about the hoodoo. "I'm not the type of person [who believes in curses]," he said at the Club World Cup.

"In the final analysis it's a figure on the jersey of your shirt. It's just a figure that has historically been connected to attackers so it's something that I like and there's no added burden."