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“Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that,” was chanted through the ground as Nottingham Forest fans reveled in a further win against Malmö. Much has occurred since Trevor Francis’s decisive header clinched the continental trophy back in 1979, but Forest continue to treasure those memories. Equally, significant changes have taken place in the weeks since the manager took charge, with Forest appearing reinvigorated and earning a convincing victory courtesy of goals from Arnaud Kalimuendo, Yates, and Nikola Milenkovic, boosting their prospects of progressing in the European competition.

Gaining Steam with Another Consecutive Win

For Forest, this performance – against a Swedish side that had been inactive for nearly a month after ending in sixth place in their home competition – represented a third consecutive triumph across all competitions and added to the positive energy gained from the previous week's success at Anfield. While this match was a reminder of the club's historic success in spirit, the game itself was devoid of any real tension or jitters.

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

The home side leaned into the history, honoring the heroes of 1979 by giving them, along with their Malmö opponents, the red-carpet treatment. 13 members of the Malmö's team from then were also in attendance. Both teams shared a meal together prior to the kick-off. Frank Clark, Colin Barrett and their teammates received a tumultuous reception when they assembled on the field 15 minutes before the start, and a characteristically impressive tifo was unveiled in the Trent End.

Remembering History

“May 30, 1979, John Robertson delivered the ball from the left flank,” displayed one part of a large banner, in capital letters. While no one needed reminding of what ensued, the remaining section was unfurled as the squads came out from the tunnel. “There is Francis,” it stated. A second brilliant display depicted Clough observing events beside his assistant Peter Taylor on a bench at the Olympiastadion.

Control from the Start

So, the hosts had drunk in those beautiful memories, but what about the performance on the evening? It was strong, as well. They were in complete control from the moment the forward fired an attempt wide inside the opening moments and established 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, had a go.

It felt fitting that Ryan Yates, who came to the club as an eight-year-old, made the first dent in the Malmö defense led by their own academy product skipper, Jansson, formerly of Leeds United and Brentford FC. The Forest centre-back Nikola Milenkovic saw a delivery cannon off a opponent and into the pathway of the midfielder, who finished with his right foot from the edge of the penalty area to score his maiden strike since March.

Second Strike Seals Control

The scorer was involved in Forest’s next goal on the brink of the interval, as well, his unmarked header parried by the shot-stopper Melker Ellborg but Kalimuendo on hand to tap in the rebound from point-blank range. McAtee, the playmaker handed a rare start and only his second appearance since September, was the spark, lofting a perfect ball towards his teammate at the far post.

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

Opponent's Struggles

This was Malmö’s first match since the Swedish Allsvenskan ended on 9 November, and they found it hard to match the home team's intensity. Forest made it 3-0 when Milenkovic scored after his centre-back partner Murillo headed back a set-piece. Yates had a volley stopped, but the Serbian defender Milenkovic feasted on the leftovers.

The home side then pushed for more, with Hudson-Odoi chipping a right-foot shot on to the bar before Ibrahim Sangaré sent an ambitious effort off target from distance. It was one of those nights. The manager, mindful of Sunday’s domestic fixture here against Brighton & Hove Albion, implemented multiple alterations from the team that stunned the Reds at Anfield recently, when they also scored three goals, though he called on Elliot Anderson, Dan Ndoye and further fresh legs during the final period.

Hiccup-Free Evening for the Team

It turned out to be a hiccup-free evening for Nottingham Forest. The coach could take off Murillo with the match already sewn up and subsequently brought on teenage full-back Jimmy Sinclair for his senior bow. Dyche talked about the club legends providing “bits of gold” at regular meetings and, almost five decades on, the current crop showed they are capable of a few nuggets of excitement, too.