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“Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that,” rang out around the ground as Nottingham Forest fans celebrated another result against Malmö. Much has happened since Trevor Francis’s decisive header clinched the continental trophy in 1979, but Forest still treasure those memories. Similarly, significant changes have taken place in the weeks since Sean Dyche took charge, with Forest appearing refreshed and securing a comfortable victory thanks to goals from Arnaud Kalimuendo, Yates, and Milenkovic, boosting their prospects of progressing in the European competition.

Building Steam with Another Straight Victory

For Forest, this performance – against a Swedish side that had not played for almost three weeks after ending sixth in their home competition – represented a third consecutive triumph across all competitions and further built on the momentum generated from last weekend’s stunning victory at Anfield. While this match was a re-run of the club's European Cup success in name, the game itself was free of any real tension or jitters.

It proved to be an occasion dripping in sentiment, an eagerly awaited meeting and the third clash between the teams since the showpiece event over four decades past.

The home side fully embraced the history, paying tribute to the heroes of that era by providing them, along with their Malmö counterparts, the VIP welcome. 13 members of the Malmö's squad from that time were additionally present. The two clubs shared a dinner together before the match. Frank Clark, Colin Barrett and their teammates were given a tumultuous reception when they assembled on the pitch 15 minutes before the start, and a typically superb display was unveiled in the Trent End.

Recalling History

“May 30, 1979, Robertson crossed it in from the left,” displayed one part of a large banner, in capital letters. While no one required a reminder of what ensued, the rest was revealed as the players emerged from the dressing rooms. “There is Francis,” it stated. Another stunning tifo showed Brian Clough watching events beside his assistant Peter Taylor on a bench at the Olympiastadion.

Dominance from the Start

So, Forest had drunk in those wonderful recollections, but what about the showing on the evening? It was pretty good, as well. They were in full command from the moment Kalimuendo whistled an effort wide inside two minutes and established 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 felt fitting that Ryan Yates, who joined Forest aged eight, made the initial breakthrough in the Malmö defence captained by their own homegrown skipper, Pontus Jansson, previously of Leeds and Brentford FC. The Forest defender Nikola Milenkovic saw a delivery deflect off a opponent and into the pathway of the midfielder, who swept home with his right foot from the edge of the box to register his maiden strike since March.

Second Strike Seals Control

The scorer was implicated in Forest’s next goal on the verge of the interval, too, his free header parried by the goalkeeper Melker Ellborg but Kalimuendo on hand to convert the loose ball from close range. McAtee, the midfielder 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.

Just moments before, Hudson-Odoi’s driven shot was deflected aside off the back Colin Rösler, the son of ex- Man City forward Uwe, and an unmarked the defender had previously had a strong header instinctively saved by the keeper, who returned in place of the ex- Villa goalkeeper Robin Olsen.

Malmö’s Difficulties

This was Malmö’s first match since the Swedish Allsvenskan ended on November 9th, and they struggled to match Forest’s intensity. Forest extended the lead to three when Milenkovic scored after his defensive colleague Murillo kept alive a set-piece. The captain had a shot blocked, but the Serbia centre-back Milenkovic pounced on the rebound.

Forest then went for the jugular, with the winger dinking a right-foot shot on to the bar before Sangaré sent an optimistic shot wide from distance. It was one of those evenings. The manager, aware of Sunday’s 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 scored three times, though he called on substitutes and further fresh legs during the second half.

Hiccup-Free Night for Forest

It proved a hiccup-free night for Nottingham Forest. Dyche could withdraw the defender with the match already sewn up and subsequently brought on 19-year-old full-back Jimmy Sinclair for his first-team debut. Dyche discussed the club legends supplying “valuable insights” at weekly get-togethers and, nearly fifty years on, the present squad showed they are able of a few nuggets of thrills, too.