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“Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that,” echoed through the stadium as Nottingham Forest fans celebrated another success against Malmö. A great deal has transpired since Trevor Francis’s decisive header clinched the European Cup in 1979, but the club continue to cherish those glorious moments. Similarly, major changes have occurred in the weeks since Sean Dyche assumed control, with the team appearing refreshed and earning a comfortable win courtesy of goals from Kalimuendo, Yates, and Milenkovic, boosting their prospects of advancing in the European competition.

Gaining Steam with Another Consecutive Win

For Forest, this result – against a Malmö side that had not played for almost three weeks after ending in sixth place in their domestic league – marked a third straight win across all competitions and further built on the momentum generated from the previous week's success at Anfield. While this match was a re-run of Forest’s European Cup success in name, the encounter itself was free of any significant jeopardy or jitters.

This was an occasion filled with sentiment, an longed-for reunion and the third meeting between the teams since the showpiece event 46 years ago.

Forest fully embraced the heritage, honoring the heroes of 1979 by giving them, along with their Malmö opponents, the red-carpet treatment. 13 members of the Swedish club’s squad from that time were also in attendance. Both teams enjoyed a meal together prior to the kick-off. Frank Clark, Colin Barrett and their teammates were given a tumultuous reception when they assembled on the pitch 15 minutes before kick-off, and a typically impressive display was unveiled in the Trent End.

Recalling History

“May 30, 1979, Robertson delivered the ball from the left flank,” read half of a giant banner, in capital letters. While no one required a reminder of what ensued, the rest was revealed as the squads emerged from the dressing rooms. “There is Francis,” it continued. Another stunning display depicted Brian Clough observing events beside his assistant Peter Taylor on a dugout at the Olympiastadion.

Control from the Start

So, Forest had soaked up those beautiful memories, but what about the performance on the evening? It was impressive, as well. They were in complete control from the moment the forward fired an effort wide inside two minutes and established a 2-0 lead by the half-time interval. Nicolás Domínguez sent an early header off target and then Zach Abbott, on his first European start, tried his luck.

It felt fitting that Yates, who joined the club as an eight-year-old, made the initial breakthrough in the visitors' defence captained by their own homegrown skipper, Pontus Jansson, formerly of Leeds and Brentford. The Forest centre-back Nikola Milenkovic saw a cross cannon off a defender and into the pathway of the midfielder, who finished with his right foot from just inside the penalty area to register his maiden strike since March.

Second Strike Seals Control

Yates was implicated in Forest’s next goal on the verge of half-time, as well, his unmarked header parried by Malmö’s shot-stopper Ellborg but Kalimuendo poised to tap in the rebound from close range. James McAtee, the playmaker handed a seldom start and only his second outing since September, was the spark, chipping a delicious ball towards his teammate at the back post.

Just moments before, Callum Hudson-Odoi low effort was turned aside off the back Rösler, son of former Man City forward Uwe, and an free the defender had previously had a powerful header instinctively repelled by the keeper, who returned in place of the ex- Villa goalkeeper Robin Olsen.

Malmö’s Difficulties

This was Malmö’s initial game since the Swedish Allsvenskan ended on November 9th, and they found it hard to equal Forest’s energy. The Reds extended the lead to three when the defender scored after his centre-back partner Murillo kept alive a set-piece. Yates had a shot stopped, but the Serbia defender Milenkovic pounced on the rebound.

The home side then went for the jugular, with Hudson-Odoi chipping a effort on to the crossbar before Sangaré sent an ambitious shot wide from 30 yards. It was one of those nights. Dyche, mindful of Sunday’s league game here against Brighton & Hove Albion, implemented seven changes from the side that surprised the Reds at Anfield recently, when they additionally scored three goals, though he introduced Elliot Anderson, Dan Ndoye and Igor Jesus during the second half.

Smooth Evening for the Team

It proved a flawless night for Forest. The coach could withdraw the defender with the game already sewn up and later brought on 19-year-old full-back Jimmy Sinclair for his senior bow. He talked about the Forest old guard providing “valuable insights” at weekly get-togethers and, nearly fifty years on, the present squad demonstrated they are capable of a few nuggets of thrills, as well.