Enzo Maresca confirms Liam Delap injury return date as Chelsea handed boost ahead of Sunderland

Enzo Maresca has confirmed Liam Delap could make his return for Chelsea as early as next week. The summer signing from Ipswich Town has been absent since August 30 after injuring his hamstring in the win over Fulham.

But the striker could be available to face Wolves in the Carabao Cup fourth round on Wednesday. Speaking to reporters on Friday ahead of Chelsea's Premier League clash against Sunderland at the weekend, Maresca said: "We don't have any new injuries.

"Liam took part of the session yesterday with the team for the first time. He is not going to be available for tomorrow but probably for the next one." Asked if he's ahead of schedule, the Italian said: "Well, the schedule also can change a little bit, it depends how they improve or get worse.

"The first time they said to me that he could be available for the 25th of October, so today is 24th, 25th." When Maresca was asked if Delap could play next week in the League Cup, he said: "Yeah, he can be available."

Marc Guiu could be handed a start against Sunderland on Saturday, which would be quite the turnaround considering he was sent out on loan to the Stadium of Light before being recalled just 26 days later. A mixture of Nicolas Jackson leaving for Bayern Munich and Delap's serious hamstring injury left Maresca light up front so it was decided Guiu would be brought back to Stamford Bridge.

The former Barcelona man scored against Ajax in the Champions League on Wednesday and it's possible he is handed a start against Sunderland. "Marc is a typical number nine, you will see physically strong, he is a box player, again he is [born in] 06, he can improve and he can do many things better and we are working with him every day to help him and as I said many times, he is going to play games with us," Maresca said of the 19-year-old.

"Then in terms of Joao [Pedro], we know that he can play as a No.9 or he can play as a No.10, in both positions I think Joao is very good but probably when he has another No.9 next to him, he is playing better."

Sunderland have started the season extremely well and are currently seventh in the Premier League having won four, drawn two and lost two. "I think they show since the season starts that they are a very good team, they play together, they work together, they play as a team," Maresca admitted.

"Also in terms of results, they have the same points as us so they are showing how good they are doing since they started and the game, it's a Premier League game, I don't think there is any game that can be easy, they are all difficult games."

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