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“You’ll never sing that, champions of Europe,” was chanted through the City Ground as Nottingham Forest supporters reveled in a further success against Malmö. Much has happened since Francis's winning header secured the continental trophy back in 1979, but Forest still hold dear those glorious moments. Similarly, major changes have taken place in the five weeks since Sean Dyche took charge, with the team appearing reinvigorated and earning a comfortable victory courtesy of goals from Kalimuendo, Ryan Yates, and Milenkovic, boosting their prospects of advancing in the Europa League.

Building Steam with Third Consecutive Victory

For Nottingham Forest, this performance – against a Malmö side that had been inactive for almost three weeks after finishing sixth in their domestic league – marked a third straight win across every tournament and added to the positive energy generated from last weekend’s stunning victory at Liverpool. While this fixture was a re-run of Forest’s European Cup triumph in name, the encounter itself was devoid of any real jeopardy or jitters.

This was an occasion dripping in sentiment, an eagerly awaited reunion and the third competitive meeting between the teams since the European Cup final 46 years ago.

The home side leaned into the heritage, honoring the legends of that era by giving them, along with their Malmö counterparts, the VIP welcome. 13 members of the Malmö's team from then were additionally present. The two clubs shared a meal together prior to the kick-off. Forest legends and company were given a rousing welcome when they gathered on the field a quarter of an hour before kick-off, and a typically superb display was shown in the home stand.

Recalling History

“30th May 1979, John Robertson delivered the ball from the left,” read one part of a large tifo, in block capitals. While no one needed reminding of what happened next, the rest was revealed as the players came out from the dressing rooms. “And there’s Francis,” it stated. A second brilliant tifo depicted Clough observing proceedings beside his assistant Taylor on a bench at the Olympiastadion.

Control from the Outset

So, Forest had drunk in those beautiful memories, but what about the performance on the evening? It was strong, as well. They were in full command from the moment Kalimuendo fired an attempt wide inside two minutes and built a two-goal lead by the half-time interval. Nicolás Domínguez sent an early header off target and then Zach Abbott, on his maiden European start, had a go.

It seemed appropriate that Yates, who came to Forest aged eight, made the first dent in the visitors' defence led by their own academy product captain, Pontus Jansson, previously of Leeds United and Brentford. The Forest centre-back Milenkovic saw a cross deflect off a opponent and into the path of Yates, who swept home with his right foot from just inside the penalty area to register his first goal since last March.

Another Goal Confirms Control

The scorer was implicated in the team's next goal on the brink of half-time, as well, his free header saved by Malmö’s shot-stopper Melker Ellborg but Kalimuendo poised to convert the loose ball from close range. McAtee, the playmaker given a seldom start and only his second outing since September, was the spark, chipping a perfect ball towards Yates at the back post.

A minute earlier, Hudson-Odoi’s driven shot was turned wide off Malmö back Colin Rösler, the son of former Man City forward Uwe Rösler, and an free the defender had earlier had a strong header instinctively saved by Ellborg, who returned in place of the former Aston Villa goalkeeper Robin Olsen.

Malmö’s Struggles

This was Malmö’s first match since the Swedish Allsvenskan concluded on 9 November, and they struggled to match the home team's energy. The Reds made it 3-0 when the defender scored after his defensive colleague Murillo headed back a corner. The captain had a volley stopped, but the Serbia centre-back Milenkovic pounced on the leftovers.

The home side then pushed for more, with the winger dinking a right-foot shot on to the crossbar before Sangaré sent an ambitious effort wide from 30 yards. It was one of those evenings. The manager, aware of Sunday’s domestic fixture here against Brighton, made seven changes from the team that surprised the Reds at Anfield recently, when they additionally netted three goals, though he called on substitutes and further fresh legs during the second half.

Smooth Night for the Team

It proved a flawless evening for Nottingham Forest. Dyche could take off Murillo with the match long since sewn up and later introduced 19-year-old defender Jimmy Sinclair for his first-team debut. Dyche discussed the club legends providing “valuable insights” at weekly get-togethers and, nearly fifty years on, the present squad showed they are capable of producing of excitement, too.