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“You’ll never sing that, champions of Europe,” rang out around the ground as Forest supporters reveled in a further success against Malmö. A great deal has transpired since Trevor Francis’s winning header clinched the continental trophy in 1979, but the club continue to treasure those memories. Equally, major changes have occurred in the five weeks since the manager assumed control, with Forest appearing refreshed and securing a convincing win thanks to goals from Arnaud Kalimuendo, Yates, and Nikola Milenkovic, enhancing their hopes of progressing in the European competition.

Gaining Steam with Another Straight Victory

For Nottingham Forest, this result – against a Malmö side that had been inactive for almost three weeks after ending sixth in their domestic league – represented a third consecutive triumph across every tournament and added to the momentum gained from the previous week's success at Liverpool. While this match was a re-run of Forest’s historic success in spirit, the encounter itself was free of any real jeopardy or nerves.

This was an occasion filled with nostalgia, an eagerly awaited reunion and the third clash between the sides since the showpiece event 46 years ago.

Forest fully embraced the history, paying tribute to the heroes of 1979 by providing them, along with their visiting counterparts, the red-carpet treatment. Thirteen members of the Swedish club’s team from that time were additionally in attendance. Both teams enjoyed a dinner together prior to the match. Forest legends and their teammates were given a rousing welcome when they gathered on the pitch a quarter of an hour before kick-off, and a characteristically impressive tifo was shown in the home stand.

Remembering History

“May 30, 1979, John Robertson delivered the ball from the left flank,” read one part of a large banner, in block capitals. While no one needed reminding of what happened next, the remaining section was unfurled as the squads emerged from the dressing rooms. “And there’s Francis,” it continued. Another brilliant display depicted Clough watching 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 pretty good, too. They were in complete control from the moment the forward whistled an attempt off target inside two minutes and established a two-goal advantage by the half-time interval. Domínguez sent an early header wide and then Zach Abbott, on his maiden European start, tried his luck.

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 skipper, Pontus Jansson, previously of Leeds and Brentford FC. The Forest centre-back Nikola Milenkovic saw a delivery cannon off a defender and into the path of the midfielder, who finished with his right foot from just inside the penalty area to score his maiden strike since March.

Second Strike Confirms Control

Yates was implicated in Forest’s next goal on the verge of the interval, too, his unmarked header saved by Malmö’s goalkeeper Ellborg but the alert forward poised to convert the loose ball from close range. McAtee, the midfielder handed a seldom start and just his second appearance since the autumn, was the spark, lofting a delicious ball towards Yates at the back post.

A minute earlier, Hudson-Odoi’s low effort was turned wide off Malmö back Rösler, the son of ex- Man City forward Uwe, and an free the defender had previously had a powerful header smartly saved by the keeper, who was back in place of the former Aston Villa goalkeeper Robin Olsen.

Malmö’s Difficulties

This was Malmö’s first match since the Swedish Allsvenskan concluded on November 9th, and they found it hard to match the home team's energy. The Reds made it 3-0 when the defender applied the finishing touch after his centre-back partner Murillo kept alive a set-piece. The captain had a shot stopped, but the Serbian defender Milenkovic pounced on the leftovers.

The home side then pushed for more, with Hudson-Odoi dinking a effort on to the bar before Ibrahim Sangaré sent an optimistic shot wide from 30 yards. It was that kind of evenings. Dyche, aware of the upcoming domestic fixture here against Brighton & Hove Albion, implemented multiple alterations from the team that stunned Liverpool at Anfield last weekend, when they additionally scored three times, though he introduced Elliot Anderson, Dan Ndoye and further fresh legs during the second half.

Hiccup-Free Night for Forest

It turned out to be a flawless night for Forest. Dyche could withdraw the defender with the game already boxed off and later brought on 19-year-old full-back Sinclair for his first-team debut. Dyche discussed the club legends supplying “valuable insights” at weekly get-togethers and, almost five decades on, the current crop showed they are able of producing of excitement, too.