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“Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that,” rang out around the ground as Forest fans celebrated a further success against Malmö. Much has happened since Trevor Francis’s decisive header clinched the European Cup back in the year 1979, but Forest continue to cherish those memories. Equally, significant changes have taken place in the five weeks since Sean Dyche assumed control, with the team appearing reinvigorated and securing a convincing victory thanks to goals from Kalimuendo, Yates, and Milenkovic, enhancing their prospects of advancing in the Europa League.

Gaining Momentum with Third Consecutive Victory

For Nottingham Forest, this result – against a Swedish side that had been inactive for almost three weeks after finishing in sixth place in their home competition – marked a third consecutive win across all competitions and added to the positive energy generated from last weekend’s success at Anfield. While this match was a reminder of the club's European Cup triumph in name, the encounter itself was free of any real tension or nerves.

It proved to be an occasion dripping in nostalgia, an longed-for meeting and the third meeting between the teams since the showpiece event over four decades past.

The home side leaned into the heritage, honoring the legends of 1979 by giving them, along with their Malmö counterparts, the red-carpet treatment. 13 members of the Malmö's squad from that time were also present. The two clubs enjoyed a meal 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 typically impressive tifo was shown in the home stand.

Recalling History

“30th May 1979, Robertson delivered the ball from the left,” read half of a giant banner, in block capitals. While nobody needed reminding of what happened next, the remaining section was revealed as the squads emerged from the tunnel. “And there’s Francis,” it continued. A second stunning tifo showed Clough watching events beside his assistant Peter Taylor on a dugout at the Munich stadium.

Control from the Start

So, the hosts had soaked up those wonderful recollections, but what about the showing on the evening? It was pretty good, too. They were in full command from the moment the forward fired an effort wide inside the opening moments and built a two-goal advantage by the half-time interval. Domínguez sent an early header off target and then Zach Abbott, on his first European start, tried his luck.

It felt fitting that Ryan Yates, who joined the club as an eight-year-old, made the first dent in the Malmö defense led by their own homegrown captain, Jansson, formerly of Leeds and Brentford. The home centre-back 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 box to score his first goal since last March.

Second Strike Confirms Dominance

Yates was involved in Forest’s next goal on the brink of half-time, too, his unmarked header saved by Malmö’s goalkeeper Ellborg but Kalimuendo on hand to tap in the loose ball from point-blank range. James McAtee, the playmaker given a seldom start and only his second appearance since the autumn, was the spark, lofting a delicious ball towards Yates at the far post.

A minute earlier, Hudson-Odoi’s driven shot was turned aside off the defender Rösler, the son of former Man City striker Uwe, and an unmarked the defender had earlier had a powerful header instinctively repelled by the keeper, who was back in place of the ex- Aston Villa goalie Olsen.

Malmö’s Struggles

This was Malmö’s initial game since the domestic league ended on November 9th, and they struggled to match the home team's energy. The Reds made it 3-0 when Milenkovic applied the finishing touch after his defensive colleague Murillo headed back a set-piece. The captain had a shot stopped, but the Serbia defender Milenkovic pounced on the rebound.

Forest then went for the jugular, with Hudson-Odoi chipping a effort on to the crossbar before Ibrahim Sangaré sent an ambitious shot off target from distance. It was one of those nights. Dyche, mindful of the upcoming domestic fixture here against Brighton & Hove Albion, made multiple alterations from the side that surprised Liverpool at Anfield last weekend, when they additionally scored three times, though he called on Elliot Anderson, Dan Ndoye and further fresh legs midway through the second half.

Hiccup-Free Night for Forest

It turned out to be a flawless night for Nottingham Forest. Dyche could withdraw Murillo with the game already boxed off and later brought on 19-year-old full-back Jimmy Sinclair for his first-team debut. He discussed the club legends providing “valuable insights” at weekly get-togethers and, almost five decades on, the current crop showed they are capable of producing of thrills, as well.