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“You’ll never sing that, champions of Europe,” echoed through the City Ground as Nottingham Forest fans celebrated a further result against Malmö. A great deal has transpired since Trevor Francis’s decisive header secured the European Cup back in the year 1979, but the club still cherish those memories. Similarly, significant shifts have taken place in the weeks since Sean Dyche took charge, with the team appearing reinvigorated and securing a convincing win thanks to goals from Arnaud Kalimuendo, Yates, and Nikola Milenkovic, enhancing their prospects of progressing in the European competition.

Gaining Momentum with Third Consecutive Win

For 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 straight triumph across every tournament and further built on the positive energy generated from the previous week's success at Anfield. While this match was a reminder of Forest’s European Cup success in name, the encounter itself was free of any real jeopardy or nerves.

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

Forest leaned into the heritage, paying tribute to the heroes of 1979 by giving them, along with their visiting counterparts, the red-carpet treatment. 13 members of the Swedish club’s team from that time were also in attendance. Both teams shared a meal together before the match. Frank Clark, Colin Barrett and company received a rousing reception when they assembled on the field a quarter of an hour before kick-off, and a characteristically impressive tifo was shown in the home stand.

Remembering the Past

“30th May 1979, Robertson crossed it in from the left,” displayed half of a large banner, in block capitals. While nobody required a reminder of what happened next, the rest was revealed as the squads emerged from the tunnel. “There is Francis,” it stated. A second stunning display depicted Clough observing events beside his assistant Peter Taylor on a dugout at the Munich stadium.

Control from the Start

So, the hosts had soaked up those beautiful recollections, but what about the performance on the evening? It was strong, as well. They were in complete control from the moment Kalimuendo fired an attempt off target inside two minutes and built a 2-0 lead by the half-time interval. Nicolás Domínguez sent an early header wide and then Zach Abbott, on his first European start, had a go.

It felt fitting that Yates, who came to Forest as an eight-year-old, made the first dent in the visitors' defence captained by their own academy product captain, Pontus Jansson, formerly of Leeds and Brentford FC. The Forest centre-back Milenkovic saw a cross deflect off a defender and into the path of the midfielder, who finished with his right foot from the edge of the box to score his first goal since March.

Second Goal Seals Dominance

Yates was implicated in the team's next goal on the brink of the interval, as well, his free header parried by Malmö’s goalkeeper Ellborg but the alert forward poised to convert the rebound from close range. James McAtee, the playmaker handed a rare start and just his second outing since the autumn, was the spark, lofting a delicious ball towards his teammate at the far post.

A minute earlier, Callum Hudson-Odoi low effort was turned aside off Malmö defender Rösler, son of former Man City striker Uwe Rösler, and an unmarked Milenkovic had earlier had a powerful header instinctively repelled by the keeper, who was back in place of the former Villa goalie Robin Olsen.

Opponent's Difficulties

This was Malmö’s initial game since the domestic league concluded on November 9th, and they found it hard to match Forest’s intensity. The Reds extended the lead to three when the defender scored after his centre-back partner Murillo headed back a corner. The captain had a shot stopped, but the Serbia defender Milenkovic feasted on the rebound.

Forest then went for the jugular, with Hudson-Odoi dinking a effort on to the bar before Sangaré sent an ambitious effort off target from 30 yards. It was one of those evenings. The manager, mindful of the upcoming league game here against Brighton & Hove Albion, implemented multiple alterations from the team that surprised the Reds at their ground last weekend, when they also netted three goals, though he introduced substitutes and Igor Jesus during the final period.

Hiccup-Free Night for Forest

It proved a flawless night for Nottingham Forest. The coach could take off the defender with the match long since boxed off and later brought on 19-year-old full-back Sinclair for his senior bow. He talked about the club legends supplying “bits of gold” at weekly get-togethers and, nearly fifty years on, the present squad showed they are able of producing of thrills, too.