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“You’ll never sing that, champions of Europe,” was chanted around the ground as Forest supporters celebrated another success against Malmö. A great deal has happened since Trevor Francis’s winning header secured the European Cup back in the year 1979, but Forest still hold dear those memories. Equally, significant changes have occurred in the weeks since Sean Dyche assumed control, with the team appearing reinvigorated and earning a convincing win thanks to goals from Kalimuendo, Yates, and Nikola Milenkovic, boosting their prospects of advancing in the European competition.

Building Momentum with Another Straight Victory

For Nottingham Forest, this performance – against a Malmö side that had been inactive for almost three weeks after ending in sixth place in their domestic league – marked a third straight win across every tournament and added to the momentum generated from last weekend’s success at Anfield. While this fixture was a re-run of Forest’s historic triumph in spirit, the game itself was free of any significant tension or jitters.

It proved to be an event filled with sentiment, an eagerly awaited meeting and the third competitive clash between the teams since the European Cup final 46 years ago.

Forest fully embraced the heritage, paying tribute to the heroes of 1979 by providing them, along with their Malmö counterparts, the red-carpet treatment. Thirteen members of the Swedish club’s team from then were additionally present. The two clubs enjoyed a meal together prior to the kick-off. Forest legends and their teammates were given a rousing reception when they gathered on the field a quarter of an hour before the start, and a typically superb display was shown in the Trent End.

Recalling History

“May 30, 1979, Robertson crossed it in from the left flank,” displayed one part of a large tifo, in block capitals. While nobody needed reminding of what ensued, the remaining section was unfurled as the squads came out from the dressing rooms. “And there’s Francis,” it continued. A second brilliant display showed Brian Clough observing events beside his right-hand man Peter Taylor on a dugout at the Olympiastadion.

Dominance from the Start

So, Forest had drunk in those beautiful recollections, 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 the opening moments and built a 2-0 lead by the half-time interval. Domínguez sent an early header wide and then Abbott, on his maiden European start, had a go.

It seemed appropriate that Ryan Yates, who joined the club as an eight-year-old, made the first dent in the visitors' defence captained by their own academy product skipper, Jansson, previously of Leeds United and Brentford. The home defender Milenkovic saw a delivery cannon off a opponent and into the path of Yates, who swept home with his right foot from the edge of the penalty area to register his first goal since last March.

Another Goal Seals Control

The scorer was involved in Forest’s second goal on the brink of the interval, as well, his unmarked header parried by the shot-stopper Ellborg but Kalimuendo on hand to convert the rebound from close range. McAtee, the midfielder given a rare start and just his second outing since the autumn, was the catalyst, lofting a perfect ball towards his teammate at the far post.

Just moments before, Hudson-Odoi’s low effort was turned aside off Malmö defender Colin Rösler, the son of ex- Manchester City striker Uwe Rösler, and an free Milenkovic had previously had a strong header smartly saved by the keeper, who was back in place of the former Villa goalkeeper Robin Olsen.

Malmö’s Struggles

This was the Swedish side's initial game since the domestic league ended on 9 November, and they found it hard to match Forest’s intensity. Forest 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 Serbia defender Milenkovic feasted on the leftovers.

Forest then pushed for more, with Hudson-Odoi dinking a right-foot shot on to the bar before Sangaré sent an ambitious effort off target from 30 yards. It was that kind of evenings. Dyche, aware of Sunday’s league game here against Brighton, implemented multiple alterations from the side that surprised Liverpool at Anfield last weekend, when they also scored three times, though he called on Elliot Anderson, Dan Ndoye and further fresh legs midway through the second half.

Hiccup-Free Night for the Team

It proved a hiccup-free evening for Forest. The coach could withdraw Murillo with the game long since boxed off and later brought on 19-year-old full-back Sinclair for his senior bow. Dyche talked about the Forest old guard supplying “bits of gold” at regular meetings and, nearly fifty years on, the current crop demonstrated they are able of a few nuggets of thrills, too.