Chelsea face wider issues beyond their strikers and Joao Pedro’s goalless run.
Forward Cole Palmer has played two full matches all season and is not expected return from a groin injury until December.
Winger Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, signed from Borussia Dortmund for a fee rising to £52m, has no goals and one assist in 10 matches. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m recruit from Manchester United, has one goal in seven matches 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 one assist – matching academy forward Tyrique George.
Striker Marc Guiu and Brighton loanee Facundo Buonanotte have one goal each.
Marc Cucurella, who scored seven from left-back last season, is yet to find the net 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 first 10 games.
After 13 matches in all competitions no forward has more than two goals, with midfielders Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea’s joint top scorers with four.
Asked whether a lack of natural goalscorers means responsibility must be shared, Maresca said: “Absolutely, yes. We said many times that the five players at the front, we need six, seven, eight, nine, 10 goals each, in the way we have done last season.”
Maresca has found ways to compete despite attacking inconsistency. Chelsea are second for set-piece goals in the Premier League, one behind Arsenal. In addition, the Blues are the first team to have 10 different scorers in the top flight this season.
