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“You’ll never sing that, champions of Europe,” echoed around the City Ground as Nottingham Forest fans celebrated another result against Malmö. Much has happened since Trevor Francis’s winning header clinched the continental trophy back in the year 1979, but Forest still treasure those glorious moments. Similarly, major changes have occurred in the five weeks since the manager assumed control, with Forest appearing reinvigorated and securing a comfortable victory courtesy of goals from Arnaud Kalimuendo, Yates, and Milenkovic, enhancing their prospects of progressing in the Europa League.

Gaining Momentum with Another Straight Win

For Forest, this performance – against a Malmö side that had been inactive for nearly a month after ending in sixth place in their domestic league – marked a third straight triumph across all competitions and further built on the momentum generated from last weekend’s success at Liverpool. While this match was a re-run of Forest’s historic success in spirit, the encounter itself was free of any significant tension or jitters.

It proved to be an occasion dripping in nostalgia, an eagerly awaited meeting and the third meeting between the teams since the European Cup final over four decades past.

The home side leaned into the history, honoring the heroes of that era by giving them, along with their visiting opponents, the VIP welcome. Thirteen members of the Malmö's squad from that time were also present. Both teams shared a dinner together before the kick-off. Frank Clark, Colin Barrett and their teammates received a rousing welcome when they assembled on the field 15 minutes before kick-off, and a characteristically superb tifo was unveiled in the home stand.

Recalling History

“May 30, 1979, Robertson delivered the ball from the left,” displayed one part of a giant banner, in block capitals. While nobody needed reminding of what happened next, the rest was unfurled as the players came out from the tunnel. “And there’s Francis,” it continued. Another stunning tifo showed Brian Clough observing proceedings beside his assistant Peter Taylor on a bench at the Olympiastadion.

Control from the Outset

So, Forest had drunk in those beautiful recollections, but what about the performance on the night? It was impressive, as well. They were in full command from the moment Kalimuendo fired an effort off target inside two minutes and built a 2-0 lead by the half-time interval. Domínguez sent an early header wide and then Zach Abbott, on his first European start, tried his luck.

It felt fitting that Yates, who joined Forest as an eight-year-old, made the first dent in the Malmö defense led by their own academy product skipper, Jansson, formerly of Leeds and Brentford FC. The home defender Nikola Milenkovic saw a cross cannon off a defender and into the path of the midfielder, who swept home right-footed from the edge of the penalty area to register his first goal since last March.

Another Goal Seals Control

The scorer was implicated in the team's second goal on the brink of the interval, as well, his unmarked header saved by Malmö’s goalkeeper Ellborg but Kalimuendo poised to tap in the rebound from point-blank range. James McAtee, the midfielder handed a rare start and just his second outing since the autumn, was the catalyst, chipping a delicious ball towards his teammate at the far post.

Just moments before, Callum Hudson-Odoi driven shot was deflected wide off Malmö defender Rösler, son of ex- Manchester City forward Uwe Rösler, and an unmarked Milenkovic had previously had a powerful header smartly saved by the keeper, who returned in place of the former Villa goalie Olsen.

Opponent's Struggles

This was the Swedish side's initial game since the domestic league ended on November 9th, and they found it hard to match the home team's energy. Forest extended the lead to three when Milenkovic applied the finishing touch after his defensive colleague Murillo kept alive a corner. Yates had a volley blocked, but the Serbian defender Milenkovic pounced on the leftovers.

The home side then went for the jugular, with Hudson-Odoi dinking a right-foot shot on to the bar before Sangaré sent an ambitious shot off target from distance. It was one of those nights. The manager, mindful of the upcoming domestic fixture here against Brighton, implemented multiple alterations from the side that surprised the Reds at Anfield recently, when they also netted three times, though he called on substitutes and further fresh legs during the final period.

Smooth Evening for Forest

It proved a hiccup-free evening for Forest. Dyche could take off the defender with the match long since sewn up and subsequently introduced teenage defender Jimmy Sinclair for his first-team debut. Dyche discussed the club legends supplying “valuable insights” at regular meetings and, almost five decades on, the current crop showed they are capable of a few nuggets of excitement, as well.