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Forward Liam Delap is coming back from a hamstring injury at a crucial moment for Chelsea.

The Blues were beaten 2-1 against unexpected challengers Sunderland at their stadium on Saturday, with manager Enzo Maresca citing "a lack of creativity" and his side's crossing being "subpar".

Chelsea's attackers are having difficulty finding the net and goal contributions as Delap is back available in the Carabao Cup against bottom-half Wolves on this week (evening kickoff), having sat out 10 fixtures since picking up the problem in the 2-0 win over Fulham in the summer.

Maresca commented the emerging talent will be gradually introduced "slowly", and the summer signing's return is important for a side facing questions over their inconsistency, which has left the national tournaments their primary hope of securing honors this campaign.

Delap to Take Pressure Off Joao Pedro

Chelsea signed Delap from the Tractor Boys for a £30 million fee despite attention from the Red Devils, Newcastle United and the Toffees.

Yet the England Under-21s forward was below expensive recruit Joao Pedro in the team ranking at this global competition - and with good reason.

Joao Pedro registered a trio of strikes in three appearances as Chelsea secured the maiden title in the United States. The Seleção attacker added two more goals and three setups in his first four Premier League games after arriving from Brighton.

More of late, however, Joao Pedro has failed to score in his last seven games. Maresca revealed he is one of three players - along with central players Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who presently require to be "protected".

When questioned about Joao Pedro's drop in output, Maresca commented: "Definitely the physical part is crucial. When you are not 100% it's challenging to excel, especially in this league."

"Joao Pedro is not a number nine that is going to score 20 goals every season. Joao's a excellent footballer, he's going to find the net and create chances but he's a different kind of nine to those who net 20 to 25 goals annually like the Polish striker, the French superstar or the City striker."

Wider Problems in Chelsea's Offense

Chelsea confront additional challenges beyond their forwards and Joao Pedro's drought.

Winger Cole Palmer has completed two games all campaign and is not expected return from a lower body issue until December.

Wide player Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, brought in from Borussia Dortmund for a £52m package, has zero strikes and one goal contribution in 10 matches. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40 million signing from Manchester United, has a single strike in seven matches 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 only two goals and one setup - equaling homegrown talent Tyrique George.

Forward Marc Guiu and Brighton loanee Facundo Buonanotte have one score each.

Marc Cucurella, who got seven from left-back last season, is still to score this campaign. Attacking player Pedro Neto has one score and two assists in his last two games, but before that found the net just once in the first 10 games.

After thirteen fixtures in every tournament no attacker has over two strikes, with engine room operators Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's equal leading marksmen with four.

Asked whether a lack of natural goalscorers means goals must come from multiple sources, Maresca stated: "Absolutely, yes. We frequently mentioned that the quintet of attackers at the attack, we need multiple goals per player, in the manner we achieved last term."

Maresca has found ways to compete despite attacking inconsistency. Chelsea are second place for set-piece goals in the Premier League, trailing by one Arsenal. In addition, the Blues are the first team to have 10 different scorers in the Premier League this season.

Will Chelsea's Number Nine Curse Be Broken?

Some Chelsea fans feel the striker's jersey - taken by Delap in the summer - is hexed. It had been unoccupied since recently, and footballers who wore it since 2006 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) - 30 goals in 82 games
• Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five goals in nineteen matches
• Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - twenty-four strikes in seventy-two matches
• Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - a single strike in twelve matches
• Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 goals in one hundred seventy-two matches
• Franco di Santo (2008-10) - zero strikes in 16 games
• Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - a single strike in 25 appearances
• Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - no goals in twenty matches

A engine room operator and defensive specialist are included in this group, and some would argue Abraham broke the curse with his achievement, while iconic forwards such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink excelled with the number nine.

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

"In the final analysis it's a digit on the shirt of your shirt. It's just a figure that has traditionally been associated to forwards so it's something that I like and there's no added burden."