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“You’ll never sing that, champions of Europe,” was chanted around the stadium as Nottingham Forest fans reveled in a further result against Malmö. A great deal has transpired since Trevor Francis’s decisive header clinched the European Cup back in the year 1979, but Forest continue to hold dear those glorious moments. Similarly, significant shifts have taken place in the five weeks since Sean Dyche took charge, with the team appearing refreshed and earning a comfortable victory courtesy of goals from Arnaud Kalimuendo, Yates, and Milenkovic, boosting their prospects of advancing in the Europa League.

Building Steam with Another Straight Win

For Nottingham Forest, this performance – against a Malmö side that had been inactive for almost three weeks after finishing in sixth place in their home competition – represented a third straight triumph across every tournament and further built on the positive energy generated from the previous week's success at Liverpool. While this fixture was a re-run of the club's European Cup success in name, the game itself was devoid of any real jeopardy or nerves.

It proved to be an event filled with sentiment, an longed-for reunion and the third meeting between the teams since the showpiece event over four decades past.

The home side fully embraced the history, honoring the heroes of 1979 by providing them, along with their Malmö opponents, the red-carpet treatment. Thirteen members of the Swedish club’s squad from then were additionally in attendance. Both teams enjoyed a meal together before the match. Forest legends and their teammates were given a rousing reception when they gathered on the pitch a quarter of an hour before the start, and a typically impressive tifo was shown in the Trent End.

Recalling History

“30th May 1979, Robertson delivered the ball from the left,” displayed one part of a large banner, in capital letters. While nobody needed reminding of what happened next, the rest was unfurled as the squads came out from the dressing rooms. “And there’s Francis,” it stated. Another brilliant tifo showed Brian Clough observing events beside his assistant Peter Taylor on a bench at the Munich stadium.

Dominance from the Outset

So, the hosts had soaked up those wonderful memories, but what about the performance on the night? It was impressive, too. They were in complete control from the moment Kalimuendo whistled an effort off target inside two minutes and built a two-goal lead by the half-time interval. Domínguez sent an early header wide and then Zach Abbott, on his first European start, had a go.

It felt fitting that Ryan Yates, who joined Forest aged eight, made the initial breakthrough in the visitors' defence captained by their own homegrown captain, Pontus Jansson, formerly of Leeds United and Brentford. The Forest centre-back Nikola Milenkovic saw a cross cannon off a defender and into the path of Yates, who swept home right-footed from just inside the penalty area to score his first goal since March.

Another Goal Confirms Dominance

Yates was involved in Forest’s next goal on the verge of the interval, too, his unmarked header parried by Malmö’s shot-stopper Melker Ellborg but Kalimuendo on hand to convert the loose ball from close range. James McAtee, the playmaker given a rare start and only his second appearance since the autumn, was the catalyst, lofting a perfect ball towards Yates at the far post.

A minute earlier, Hudson-Odoi’s low effort was turned wide off the defender Rösler, son of ex- Manchester City forward Uwe, and an unmarked Milenkovic also earlier had a strong header instinctively repelled by the keeper, who returned in place of the former Villa goalie Robin Olsen.

Malmö’s Difficulties

This was Malmö’s initial game since the domestic league concluded on November 9th, and they struggled to equal Forest’s energy. The Reds extended the lead to three when the defender scored after his defensive colleague Murillo kept alive a corner. The captain had a shot blocked, but the Serbia defender Milenkovic feasted on the rebound.

Forest then went for the jugular, with Hudson-Odoi dinking a right-foot shot on to the bar before Ibrahim Sangaré sent an ambitious effort off target from 30 yards. It was one of those nights. The manager, aware of the upcoming domestic fixture here against Brighton, implemented seven changes from the team that surprised Liverpool at their ground recently, when they also netted three goals, though he introduced Elliot Anderson, Dan Ndoye and further fresh legs during the second half.

Smooth Night for Forest

It turned out to be a hiccup-free evening for Forest. Dyche could take off the defender with the game long since sewn up and later introduced 19-year-old full-back Jimmy Sinclair for his first-team debut. He discussed the club legends supplying “bits of gold” at weekly get-togethers and, nearly fifty years on, the present squad demonstrated they are capable of a few nuggets of excitement, too.