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“Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that,” echoed around the stadium as Nottingham Forest followers reveled in another win against Malmö. A great deal has occurred since Trevor Francis’s decisive header secured the continental trophy back in 1979, but Forest still cherish those memories. Equally, significant shifts have taken place in the five weeks since the manager assumed control, with Forest looking refreshed and securing a comfortable victory courtesy of goals from Arnaud Kalimuendo, Yates, and Milenkovic, boosting their prospects of progressing in the Europa League.

Gaining Steam with Third Consecutive Victory

For Forest, this performance – against a Swedish side that had been inactive for almost three weeks after finishing in sixth place in their home competition – marked a third straight triumph across all competitions and further built on the positive energy generated from the previous week's stunning victory at Liverpool. While this fixture was a re-run of Forest’s European Cup triumph in spirit, the game itself was free of any significant jeopardy or jitters.

This was an event dripping in nostalgia, an longed-for meeting and the third meeting between the sides since the European Cup final over four decades past.

The home side leaned into the history, honoring the heroes of 1979 by providing them, along with their Malmö counterparts, the VIP welcome. Thirteen members of the Swedish club’s team from then were also present. Both teams shared a meal together prior to the kick-off. Frank Clark, Colin Barrett and company were given a rousing reception when they gathered on the pitch a quarter of an hour before kick-off, and a typically superb tifo was shown in the Trent End.

Remembering History

“May 30, 1979, John Robertson crossed it in from the left,” read half of a giant banner, in block capitals. While no one required a reminder of what happened next, the rest was revealed as the squads came out from the tunnel. “And there’s Francis,” it continued. Another brilliant display depicted Brian Clough observing proceedings beside his assistant Taylor on a bench at the Munich stadium.

Control from the Start

So, the hosts had soaked up those beautiful memories, but what about the performance on the evening? It was strong, too. They were in complete control from the moment Kalimuendo whistled an attempt off target inside the opening moments and built a two-goal lead by the break. Nicolás Domínguez sent an early header wide and then Zach Abbott, on his maiden European start, tried his luck.

It seemed appropriate that Yates, who joined the club as an eight-year-old, made the initial breakthrough in the Malmö defense captained by their own academy product captain, Jansson, formerly of Leeds United and Brentford FC. The Forest defender Nikola Milenkovic saw a delivery cannon off a opponent and into the pathway of Yates, who swept home with his right foot from the edge of the penalty area to register his first goal since March.

Second Goal Confirms Dominance

The scorer was implicated in Forest’s second goal on the verge of the interval, too, his unmarked header parried by the goalkeeper Ellborg but Kalimuendo on hand to convert the loose ball from point-blank range. McAtee, the playmaker handed a seldom start and just his second appearance since the autumn, was the catalyst, chipping a perfect ball towards Yates at the far post.

A minute earlier, Callum Hudson-Odoi low effort was turned aside off the defender Colin Rösler, the son of ex- Man City striker Uwe, and an free Milenkovic had previously had a strong header smartly saved by Ellborg, who was back in place of the former Aston Villa goalie Olsen.

Malmö’s Difficulties

This was Malmö’s initial game since the Swedish Allsvenskan ended on 9 November, and they struggled to equal Forest’s intensity. The Reds extended the lead to three when Milenkovic scored after his centre-back partner Murillo kept alive a corner. The captain had a shot blocked, but the Serbian defender Milenkovic pounced on the leftovers.

Forest then went for the jugular, with Hudson-Odoi chipping a effort on to the crossbar before Ibrahim Sangaré sent an ambitious effort wide from 30 yards. It was one of those evenings. Dyche, aware of the upcoming domestic fixture here against Brighton & Hove Albion, made seven changes from the side that surprised the Reds at their ground recently, when they additionally netted three times, though he introduced Elliot Anderson, Dan Ndoye and further fresh legs midway through the second half.

Hiccup-Free Evening for the Team

It turned out to be a hiccup-free night for Forest. Dyche could take off the defender with the match long since sewn up and later introduced teenage full-back Jimmy Sinclair for his first-team debut. Dyche talked about the Forest old guard supplying “valuable insights” at weekly get-togethers and, nearly fifty years on, the current crop demonstrated they are able of producing of thrills, too.