As the season reaches its critical final stretch, every match feels like a cup final. With three massive games still to play, our European dreams remain very much alive. And if you needed proof of just how much this means to the squad, look no further than Granit Xhaka's visible frustration at full time. This is a group of players who have fully bought into the shared goal.

But let's talk about the elephant in the room: VAR. Again.

We're all told as kids not to pull hair, but nobody ever adds the caveat: "Unless you're completely focused on the ball, ref." How many playground scuffles would have been forgiven? How many kids have been unfairly branded as dirty players?

Dan Ballard's red card against Wolves has me feeling like a disappointed parent. Not angry, just let down. And not with my player, but with the officials and VAR, who once again showed a stunning lack of common sense.

I try to balance my frustration with the technology by reminding myself: would we even be in this position if VAR hadn't intervened last May? This all-powerful, faceless judge gives with one hand, but takes with the other.

The incident itself was minimal. Ballard and Tolu Arokodare were jostling, both eyes fixed on the ball. Unfortunately, while grabbing at the forward's shirt, Ballard accidentally caught a few strands of hair. No intent. No malice. Just a tangle.

Now, the letter of the law says hair pulling always results in a dismissal. But like most rules, it's open to interpretation. VAR isn't required to prove intent, but surely context matters? This wasn't a deliberate tug. It was a split-second contact during a physical battle.

As for the match itself, Molineux was shrouded in a strange apathy. After a dismal campaign, Wolves fans showed nothing but resignation. They even ironically cheered when trailing 1-0. It was a far cry from the intimidating atmosphere we usually expect there.

There were echoes of Sunderland's 2016-17 relegation side in Saturday's hosts: a despondent team with little quality, a disillusioned fanbase, and a broken ownership model. The fact we scored from a corner only underlined why Rob Edwards' side are heading down. Nordi Mukiele's first-half header said more about Wolves' defensive disorganization than any improvement in our set-piece play.

The hosts offered little going forward, so when we took the lead, we felt confident we could hold on and claim all three points. This team has fight, passion, and a clear objective. Let's hope the officials don't stand in the way again.