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“You’ll never sing that, champions of Europe,” rang out around the stadium as Forest followers reveled in a further success against Malmö. A great deal has happened since Francis's decisive header clinched the continental trophy in 1979, but Forest still hold dear those glorious moments. Similarly, significant changes have occurred in the five weeks since Sean Dyche assumed control, with the team appearing refreshed and securing a comfortable victory thanks to goals from Kalimuendo, Ryan Yates, and Milenkovic, enhancing their prospects of advancing in the Europa League.

Building Steam with Another Straight Victory

For Nottingham Forest, this result – against a Swedish side that had been inactive for almost three weeks after ending sixth in their home competition – represented a third consecutive win across all competitions and added to the momentum generated from last weekend’s success at Anfield. While this fixture was a reminder of Forest’s European Cup success in name, the game itself was free of any real jeopardy or jitters.

This was an event filled with sentiment, an longed-for meeting and the third meeting between the teams since the showpiece event over four decades past.

Forest leaned into the heritage, paying tribute to the heroes of 1979 by giving them, along with their visiting counterparts, the VIP welcome. 13 members of the Swedish club’s squad from then were additionally present. Both teams shared a meal together prior to the match. Forest legends and their teammates were given a rousing welcome when they gathered on the pitch 15 minutes before kick-off, and a typically impressive display was shown in the Trent End.

Recalling the Past

“May 30, 1979, John Robertson delivered the ball from the left flank,” displayed half of a large banner, in block capitals. While nobody needed reminding of what ensued, the remaining section was revealed as the players emerged from the dressing rooms. “And there’s Francis,” it continued. Another brilliant display depicted Brian Clough observing events beside his assistant Peter Taylor on a bench at the Olympiastadion.

Dominance from the Outset

So, the hosts had drunk in those beautiful memories, but what about the performance on the night? It was strong, too. They were in full command from the moment the forward fired an effort wide inside two minutes and built a two-goal advantage by the break. Domínguez sent an early header off target and then Zach Abbott, on his maiden European start, tried his luck.

It seemed appropriate that Ryan Yates, who came to Forest as an eight-year-old, made the first dent in the visitors' defence led by their own academy product captain, Jansson, previously of Leeds United and Brentford FC. The Forest centre-back Milenkovic saw a cross cannon off a defender and into the path of the midfielder, who swept home right-footed from just inside the box to score his first goal since March.

Second Strike Seals Control

Yates was involved in the team's second goal on the verge of the interval, too, his free header saved by the shot-stopper Ellborg but the alert forward on hand to convert the loose ball from point-blank range. McAtee, the midfielder given a rare start and just his second appearance since September, was the spark, lofting a perfect ball towards Yates at the back post.

Just moments before, Callum Hudson-Odoi low effort was deflected aside off the defender Rösler, the son of former Manchester City forward Uwe, and an free the defender also earlier had a powerful header smartly repelled by Ellborg, who was back in place of the ex- Aston Villa goalkeeper Olsen.

Malmö’s Struggles

This was Malmö’s first match since the domestic league ended on 9 November, and they found it hard to equal the home team's intensity. The Reds extended the lead to three when Milenkovic applied the finishing touch after his centre-back partner Murillo headed back a corner. Yates had a volley blocked, but the Serbia defender Milenkovic pounced on the rebound.

Forest then went for the jugular, with Hudson-Odoi dinking a right-foot shot on to the bar before Ibrahim Sangaré sent an optimistic shot wide from 30 yards. It was that kind of evenings. The manager, mindful of Sunday’s domestic fixture here against Brighton, implemented seven changes from the side that surprised Liverpool at their ground last weekend, when they additionally scored three goals, though he introduced Elliot Anderson, Dan Ndoye and further fresh legs during the second half.

Smooth Night for the Team

It proved a hiccup-free evening for Forest. The coach could take off the defender with the game long since boxed off and later introduced teenage full-back Jimmy Sinclair for his first-team debut. Dyche discussed the club legends providing “valuable insights” at regular meetings and, almost five decades on, the current crop demonstrated they are able of producing of excitement, as well.