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“Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that,” was chanted through the City Ground as Forest supporters reveled in another success against Malmö. Much has transpired since Trevor Francis’s winning header clinched the European Cup back in the year 1979, but Forest still cherish those glorious moments. Equally, major changes have occurred in the weeks since Sean Dyche assumed control, with Forest looking reinvigorated and earning a convincing victory thanks to goals from Kalimuendo, Yates, and Milenkovic, boosting their hopes of progressing in the Europa League.

Gaining Momentum with Another Consecutive Win

For Nottingham Forest, this result – against a Malmö side that had not played for almost three weeks after finishing in sixth place in their domestic league – represented a third consecutive triumph across all competitions and added to the positive energy generated from last weekend’s success at Liverpool. While this match was a re-run of the club's historic triumph in name, the encounter itself was free of any significant jeopardy 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 fully embraced the heritage, paying tribute to the heroes of that era by providing them, along with their visiting opponents, the red-carpet treatment. 13 members of the Swedish club’s squad from then were also in attendance. The two clubs shared a dinner together prior to the kick-off. Forest legends and their teammates received a rousing welcome when they assembled on the field 15 minutes before kick-off, and a characteristically impressive display was unveiled in the home stand.

Recalling the Past

“30th May 1979, Robertson delivered the ball from the left,” displayed half of a giant banner, in capital letters. While nobody needed reminding of what happened next, the remaining section was unfurled as the squads came out from the tunnel. “And there’s Francis,” it continued. Another brilliant tifo showed Clough watching proceedings beside his right-hand man Taylor on a dugout at the Munich stadium.

Dominance from the Outset

So, the hosts had drunk in those wonderful memories, but what about the performance on the evening? It was impressive, as well. They were in full command from the moment the forward fired an attempt wide inside two minutes and established a 2-0 advantage by the break. Domínguez sent an early header wide and then Abbott, on his first European start, had a go.

It felt fitting that Yates, who joined Forest as an eight-year-old, made the initial breakthrough in the Malmö defence captained by their own homegrown captain, Jansson, formerly of Leeds and Brentford. The home centre-back Nikola Milenkovic saw a cross cannon off a opponent and into the pathway of Yates, who finished right-footed from the edge of the penalty area to score his first goal since last March.

Another Strike Confirms Control

Yates was involved in Forest’s second goal on the brink of the interval, as well, his free header saved by Malmö’s shot-stopper Melker Ellborg but Kalimuendo on hand to convert the rebound from point-blank range. McAtee, the midfielder given a rare start and just his second appearance since the autumn, was the catalyst, chipping a delicious ball towards Yates at the far post.

A minute earlier, Hudson-Odoi’s driven shot was deflected aside off the back Colin Rösler, the son of former Manchester City striker Uwe, and an free the defender also previously had a powerful header instinctively repelled by Ellborg, who returned in place of the former Aston Villa goalkeeper Robin Olsen.

Malmö’s Difficulties

This was the Swedish side's initial game since the domestic league concluded on 9 November, and they struggled to match Forest’s intensity. Forest made it 3-0 when the defender scored after his defensive colleague Murillo kept alive a corner. The captain had a volley stopped, but the Serbian defender Milenkovic pounced on the leftovers.

Forest then went for the jugular, with Hudson-Odoi dinking a right-foot shot on to the crossbar before Ibrahim Sangaré sent an ambitious shot wide from 30 yards. It was one of those evenings. Dyche, aware of the upcoming domestic fixture here against Brighton, made multiple alterations from the team that stunned the Reds at Anfield recently, when they additionally netted three goals, though he introduced Elliot Anderson, Dan Ndoye and Igor Jesus during the second half.

Smooth Evening for Forest

It proved a hiccup-free evening for Forest. Dyche could withdraw Murillo with the game already boxed off and subsequently brought on 19-year-old full-back Jimmy Sinclair for his senior bow. Dyche talked about the club legends supplying “bits of gold” at regular meetings and, nearly fifty years on, the present squad showed they are capable of producing of thrills, as well.