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“You’ll never sing that, champions of Europe,” rang out through the City Ground as Nottingham Forest supporters reveled in a further success against Malmö. Much has happened since Trevor Francis’s winning header clinched the continental trophy in the year 1979, but the club continue to cherish those memories. Similarly, significant changes have occurred in the five weeks since the manager took charge, with the team looking refreshed and securing a comfortable victory courtesy of goals from Kalimuendo, Yates, and Milenkovic, enhancing their prospects of progressing in the Europa League.

Gaining Steam with Third Consecutive Victory

For Nottingham Forest, this result – against a Swedish side that had not played for nearly a month after finishing sixth in their home competition – represented a third consecutive win across every tournament and added to the momentum gained from the previous week's success at Liverpool. While this fixture was a re-run of the club's historic triumph in name, the encounter itself was devoid of any significant jeopardy or jitters.

It proved to be an event filled with nostalgia, an eagerly awaited meeting and the third competitive clash between the teams since the European Cup final 46 years ago.

The home side leaned into the history, honoring the heroes of 1979 by providing them, along with their Malmö opponents, the red-carpet treatment. 13 members of the Swedish club’s team from that time were also in attendance. The two clubs shared a meal together before the match. Frank Clark, Colin Barrett and their teammates were given a tumultuous reception when they gathered on the field 15 minutes before the start, and a typically superb display was unveiled in the home stand.

Recalling the Past

“May 30, 1979, Robertson delivered the ball from the left flank,” read one part of a giant tifo, in block capitals. While nobody required a reminder of what happened next, the remaining section was unfurled as the players emerged from the tunnel. “There is Francis,” it stated. Another stunning tifo depicted Clough watching proceedings beside his assistant Peter Taylor on a dugout at the Olympiastadion.

Control from the Outset

So, the hosts had drunk in those beautiful recollections, but what about the performance on the evening? It was pretty good, as well. They were in complete control from the moment the forward whistled an attempt off target inside the opening moments and established a two-goal lead by the half-time interval. Nicolás Domínguez sent an early header off target and then Abbott, on his maiden European start, had a go.

It felt fitting that Yates, who joined the club as an eight-year-old, made the initial breakthrough in the visitors' defense led by their own homegrown skipper, Pontus Jansson, formerly of Leeds and Brentford. The Forest centre-back Milenkovic saw a cross deflect off a opponent and into the path of Yates, who swept home right-footed from just inside the penalty area to register his first goal since March.

Another Goal Seals Dominance

The scorer was involved in Forest’s next goal on the verge of half-time, too, his free header parried by Malmö’s goalkeeper Ellborg but Kalimuendo on hand to convert the rebound from point-blank range. McAtee, the playmaker given a seldom start and only his second outing since September, was the spark, chipping a perfect ball towards Yates at the back post.

Just moments before, Hudson-Odoi’s driven shot was turned wide off Malmö back Rösler, the son of ex- Man City forward Uwe, and an unmarked the defender had previously had a strong header smartly saved by Ellborg, who returned in place of the former Aston Villa goalkeeper Robin Olsen.

Opponent's Struggles

This was Malmö’s first match since the domestic league ended on November 9th, and they struggled to equal the home team's intensity. Forest made it 3-0 when Milenkovic scored after his centre-back partner Murillo headed back a set-piece. The captain had a shot stopped, but the Serbia centre-back Milenkovic pounced on the rebound.

The home side then went for the jugular, with the winger chipping a right-foot shot on to the crossbar before Sangaré sent an ambitious effort wide from distance. It was one of those nights. Dyche, mindful of the upcoming domestic fixture here against Brighton & Hove Albion, made seven changes from the side that stunned the Reds at their ground recently, when they also netted three times, though he introduced Elliot Anderson, Dan Ndoye and Igor Jesus midway through the second half.

Hiccup-Free Night for Forest

It proved a hiccup-free night for Nottingham Forest. The coach could withdraw the defender with the game long since boxed off and subsequently brought on teenage defender Jimmy Sinclair for his first-team debut. Dyche talked about the club legends providing “valuable insights” at weekly get-togethers and, almost five decades on, the present squad demonstrated they are capable of a few nuggets of thrills, too.