Chelsea striker Liam Delap is set to make his return from a hamstring injury at a crucial time for the struggling Blues.
The 22-year-old has missed 10 games since being forced off during the 2-0 win over Fulham in August but is expected to feature in Wednesday’s Carabao Cup tie at Wolves (19:45 GMT).
His comeback comes after Chelsea’s 2-1 home defeat to surprise package Sunderland, which prompted manager Enzo Maresca to criticise his side’s “lack of creativity” and poor crossing.
Chelsea’s forwards have struggled to deliver goals and assists, leaving the club heavily reliant on midfield contributions. Maresca said Delap — a £30m summer signing from Ipswich Town, who joined despite interest from Manchester United, Newcastle and Everton — will be reintroduced “gradually” as he works back to full fitness.
Delap’s return could provide much-needed competition for Joao Pedro, who impressed early in the season but has failed to score in his past seven matches. The £55m signing from Brighton netted five goals and three assists in his first seven games, including three at the Club World Cup, where Chelsea were crowned champions.
“Joao Pedro is not a number nine who will score 20 goals a season,” Maresca told BBC Sport. “He’s a fantastic player who contributes in other ways, but he’s a different type of striker compared to Lewandowski, Mbappe, or Haaland.”
Maresca revealed that Joao Pedro, along with midfielders Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo, are among players who “need to be protected” amid a congested schedule.
Broader attacking concerns
Chelsea’s struggles extend beyond individual form. Cole Palmer remains sidelined with a groin injury until December, while Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, a £52m signing from Borussia Dortmund, has managed just one assist in 10 appearances.
Alejandro Garnacho has one goal in seven games, Estevao Willian has two goals and one assist, and Tyrique George, Marc Guiu, and Facundo Buonanotte have one goal apiece.
Even last season’s attacking full-back Marc Cucurella, who scored seven times, is yet to find the net this term. Pedro Neto has shown flashes of form with one goal and two assists in his past two matches but had scored only once in his first 10.
After 13 matches in all competitions, no Chelsea forward has scored more than two goals. Midfielders Fernandez and Caicedo lead the scoring charts with four each.
Maresca said the team must share the attacking burden:
“Absolutely, yes. The five players in front must all contribute — six, seven, eight, nine, 10 goals each — just like we did last season.”
Despite attacking inconsistency, Chelsea remain competitive, ranking second in the Premier League for set-piece goals and becoming the first top-flight team this season to have 10 different scorers.
Still, with silverware hopes resting heavily on domestic cups, Delap’s return could be key to reigniting Chelsea’s faltering frontline.
