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“You’ll never sing that, champions of Europe,” rang out through the City Ground as Forest supporters celebrated a further success against their Swedish opponents. A great deal has occurred since Trevor Francis’s winning header clinched the European Cup back in the year 1979, but Forest still treasure those memories. Equally, significant shifts have occurred in the five weeks since Sean Dyche took charge, with the team looking refreshed and securing a convincing victory thanks to goals from Arnaud Kalimuendo, Ryan Yates, and Nikola Milenkovic, boosting their prospects of advancing in the Europa League.

Gaining Steam with Another Straight Win

For Nottingham Forest, this result – against a Malmö side that had been inactive for nearly a month after finishing in sixth place in their home competition – marked a third straight win across every tournament and further built on the momentum generated from last weekend’s success at Anfield. While this fixture was a reminder of the club's European Cup triumph in name, the game itself was free of any significant jeopardy or jitters.

It proved to be an event dripping in sentiment, an eagerly awaited reunion and the third clash between the teams since the showpiece event over four decades past.

Forest leaned into the heritage, paying tribute to the heroes of that era by providing them, along with their Malmö counterparts, the VIP welcome. Thirteen members of the Swedish club’s team from that time were also present. The two clubs shared a dinner together before the kick-off. Frank Clark, Colin Barrett and company were given a tumultuous welcome when they assembled on the pitch 15 minutes before the start, and a typically superb tifo was shown in the home stand.

Recalling History

“30th May 1979, Robertson delivered the ball from the left,” displayed half of a giant banner, in block capitals. While nobody needed reminding of what ensued, the remaining section was revealed as the players came out from the tunnel. “There is Francis,” it continued. A second brilliant tifo depicted Brian Clough observing events beside his right-hand man Peter Taylor on a dugout at the Munich stadium.

Control from the Outset

So, the hosts had soaked up those wonderful memories, but what about the performance on the night? It was pretty good, too. They were in complete control from the moment Kalimuendo fired an effort wide inside the opening moments and built a 2-0 lead by the break. Domínguez sent an early header wide and then Abbott, on his maiden European start, tried his luck.

It seemed appropriate that Yates, who came to the club aged eight, made the initial breakthrough in the visitors' defense captained by their own homegrown skipper, Jansson, previously of Leeds and Brentford. The home defender Milenkovic saw a delivery deflect off a opponent and into the path of Yates, who swept home with his right foot from the edge of the penalty area to register his maiden strike since March.

Another Goal Confirms Dominance

Yates 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 playmaker handed a seldom start and just his second outing since September, was the catalyst, chipping a perfect ball towards his teammate at the far post.

Just moments before, Hudson-Odoi’s low effort was deflected wide off Malmö back Colin Rösler, the son of ex- Manchester City striker Uwe, and an free the defender also previously had a strong header instinctively repelled by Ellborg, who returned in place of the former Villa goalkeeper Robin Olsen.

Opponent's Difficulties

This was the Swedish side's first match since the Swedish Allsvenskan ended on 9 November, and they found it hard to equal Forest’s energy. The Reds made it 3-0 when the defender scored after his defensive colleague Murillo headed back a set-piece. Yates had a volley stopped, but the Serbia defender Milenkovic pounced on the rebound.

Forest then pushed for more, with Hudson-Odoi chipping a effort on to the crossbar before Ibrahim Sangaré sent an ambitious effort off target from distance. It was that kind of nights. Dyche, aware of Sunday’s league game here against Brighton & Hove Albion, made seven changes from the team that stunned the Reds at Anfield recently, when they additionally scored three times, though he called on substitutes and further fresh legs during the second half.

Hiccup-Free Night for Forest

It proved a flawless night for Nottingham Forest. Dyche could withdraw Murillo with the game already sewn up and later introduced teenage defender Sinclair for his senior bow. Dyche discussed the club legends providing “bits of gold” at weekly get-togethers and, nearly fifty years on, the present squad demonstrated they are able of a few nuggets of excitement, too.