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Forward Liam Delap is coming back from a hamstring injury at a time of need for Chelsea.

The Stamford Bridge outfit suffered a 2-1 defeat against surprise package Sunderland at their stadium on recently, with head coach Enzo Maresca attributing "insufficient imagination" and his team's delivery being "below standard".

Chelsea's forwards are having difficulty finding the net and key passes as Delap returns in the Carabao Cup against struggling Wolves on this week (evening kickoff), 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 slowly integrated "carefully", and the new recruit's comeback is vital for a club facing questions over their inconsistency, which has left the cup competitions their primary hope of securing honors this term.

Delap to Share Load With Joao Pedro

Chelsea brought in Delap from the Tractor Boys for £30m despite attention from Manchester United, Newcastle United and Everton.

Yet the Three Lions prospect was below expensive recruit Joao Pedro in the selection hierarchy at this summer's Club World Cup - and with good reason.

Joao Pedro scored three goals in three outings as Chelsea secured the maiden title in the America. The Seleção attacker added two more goals and three goal contributions in his first four Premier League games after joining from Brighton.

More lately, however, Joao Pedro has not scored in his past seven matches. Maresca said he is one of three squad members - along with central players Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who currently need to be "handled carefully".

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 difficult to compete, especially in this competition."

"Joao Pedro is not a classic center-forward that is going to score 20 goals annually. Joao's a excellent footballer, he's going to find the net and give assists but he's a alternative type of striker to ones that score 20 to 25 goals annually like the Polish striker, the PSG forward or the City striker."

Broader Issues in Chelsea's Attack

Chelsea confront wider issues in addition to their attackers and Joao Pedro's drought.

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

Attacking midfielder Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, signed from Borussia Dortmund for a £52m package, has failed to score and one goal contribution in ten games. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m acquisition from Manchester United, has one score in seven outings and caused an own goal against Benfica.

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

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

Marc Cucurella, who notched seven from left-back last campaign, is still to score this season. Winger Pedro Neto has one goal and two assists in his past two matches, but prior to that scored only once in the opening ten matches.

After 13 matches in all competitions no forward has over two strikes, with central players Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's shared top goalscorers with four goals.

Questioned whether a lack of natural goalscorers means goals must come from multiple sources, Maresca commented: "Absolutely, yes. We said many times that the five players at the attack, we need six, seven, eight, nine, 10 goals each, in the manner we achieved last term."

Maresca has discovered methods to challenge despite attacking inconsistency. Chelsea are runner-up in set-piece goals in the English top division, one behind Arsenal. In addition, the Blues are the first team to have ten various goalscorers in the first division this campaign.

Will Chelsea's Number Nine Curse Be Broken?

Some Chelsea fans feel the striker's jersey - claimed by Delap in the off-season - is jinxed. It had been available since 2023, and squad members who sported it since the mid-2000s have found scoring difficult, including:

• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three goals in 21 games
• Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 scores in 58 games
• Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 scores in eighty-two matches
• Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five strikes in 19 appearances
• Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 scores in 72 appearances
• Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - a single strike in 12 games
• Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 scores in 172 appearances
• Franco di Santo (2008-10) - failed to score in 16 appearances
• Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one score in twenty-five matches
• Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - zero strikes in 20 games

A engine room operator 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 thrived with the number nine.

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

"Ultimately it's a number on the back of your uniform. It's just a figure that has historically been connected to attackers so it's something that I enjoy and there's no pressure."