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“You’ll never sing that, champions of Europe,” was chanted around the City Ground as Forest fans celebrated a further result against Malmö. A great deal has happened since Trevor Francis’s decisive header clinched the European Cup in 1979, but the club still treasure those memories. Similarly, major changes have taken place in the weeks since the manager took charge, with Forest appearing refreshed and securing a convincing win thanks to goals from Arnaud Kalimuendo, Ryan Yates, and Nikola Milenkovic, enhancing their hopes of advancing in the Europa League.

Building Steam with Third Straight Victory

For Nottingham Forest, this performance – against a Malmö side that had been inactive for nearly a month after finishing in sixth place in their home competition – marked a third consecutive triumph across every tournament and further built on the momentum gained from last weekend’s stunning victory at Anfield. While this fixture was a re-run of Forest’s European Cup triumph in name, the game itself was devoid of any real tension or jitters.

This was an event filled with nostalgia, an eagerly awaited reunion and the third competitive clash between the teams since the showpiece event 46 years ago.

The home side leaned into the heritage, honoring the heroes of that era by providing them, along with their Malmö opponents, the VIP welcome. Thirteen members of the Malmö's squad from that time were additionally in attendance. The two clubs shared a dinner together prior to the kick-off. Frank Clark, Colin Barrett and company were given a tumultuous welcome when they assembled on the pitch a quarter of an hour before the start, and a characteristically impressive tifo was unveiled in the home stand.

Remembering the Past

“30th May 1979, John Robertson delivered the ball from the left flank,” displayed half of a giant banner, in block capitals. While nobody required a reminder of what ensued, the rest was revealed as the squads came out from the dressing rooms. “There is Francis,” it stated. A second brilliant display depicted Clough observing proceedings beside his assistant Peter Taylor on a dugout at the Olympiastadion.

Control from the Start

So, the hosts had drunk in those beautiful recollections, but what about the performance on the evening? It was pretty good, too. They were in full command from the moment Kalimuendo fired an attempt off target inside two minutes and established a 2-0 advantage by the break. Domínguez sent an early header off target and then Abbott, on his first European start, tried his luck.

It seemed appropriate that Yates, who came to Forest as an eight-year-old, made the initial breakthrough in the Malmö defense led by their own academy product skipper, Pontus Jansson, formerly of Leeds and Brentford FC. The Forest centre-back Milenkovic saw a cross deflect off a defender and into the path of Yates, who swept home right-footed from the edge of the penalty area to register his first goal since March.

Another Goal Confirms Dominance

Yates was implicated in the team's second goal on the brink of the interval, too, his free header parried by the goalkeeper Melker Ellborg but the alert forward on hand to tap in the loose ball from point-blank range. McAtee, the playmaker handed a rare start and only his second outing since September, was the spark, chipping a perfect ball towards Yates at the back post.

A minute earlier, Hudson-Odoi’s low effort was turned wide off the back Rösler, the son of ex- Man City striker Uwe Rösler, and an unmarked Milenkovic also earlier had a strong header instinctively saved by Ellborg, who was back in place of the ex- Aston Villa goalie Robin Olsen.

Malmö’s Difficulties

This was the Swedish side's initial game since the Swedish Allsvenskan concluded on November 9th, and they found it hard to match Forest’s energy. Forest made it 3-0 when the defender scored after his centre-back partner Murillo headed back a set-piece. Yates had a shot stopped, but the Serbia centre-back Milenkovic feasted on the leftovers.

Forest then pushed for more, with Hudson-Odoi chipping a right-foot shot on to the crossbar before Ibrahim Sangaré sent an optimistic effort off target from distance. It was one of those nights. Dyche, aware of Sunday’s domestic fixture here against Brighton, implemented multiple alterations from the team that stunned Liverpool at Anfield last weekend, when they additionally scored three goals, though he called on Elliot Anderson, Dan Ndoye and Igor Jesus midway through the second half.

Smooth Evening for the Team

It turned out to be a hiccup-free night for Forest. The coach could take off Murillo with the match long since sewn up and later introduced 19-year-old defender Sinclair for his senior bow. He discussed the club legends supplying “valuable insights” at weekly get-togethers and, almost five decades on, the current crop showed they are capable of a few nuggets of excitement, as well.