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“Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that,” was chanted around the ground as Nottingham Forest fans reveled in another success against Malmö. Much has transpired since Francis's decisive header secured the European Cup back in 1979, but Forest still cherish those memories. Equally, significant changes have taken place in the weeks since the manager took charge, with the team looking reinvigorated and securing a convincing win courtesy of goals from Kalimuendo, Yates, and Nikola Milenkovic, enhancing their prospects of advancing in the Europa League.

Gaining Steam with Another Straight Win

For Nottingham Forest, this performance – against a Malmö side that had not played for nearly a month after finishing sixth in their domestic league – represented a third straight triumph across every tournament and added to the momentum generated from the previous week's stunning victory at Liverpool. While this fixture was a re-run of the club's European Cup success in spirit, the game itself was free of any significant tension or jitters.

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

The home side leaned into the heritage, paying tribute to the legends of 1979 by providing them, along with their Malmö counterparts, the VIP welcome. 13 members of the Malmö's squad from then were also in attendance. Both teams shared a dinner together prior to the kick-off. Frank Clark, Colin Barrett and their teammates received a tumultuous welcome when they assembled on the pitch 15 minutes before kick-off, and a typically superb display was shown in the Trent End.

Recalling the Past

“May 30, 1979, John Robertson delivered the ball from the left,” displayed one part of a giant tifo, in block capitals. While no one needed reminding of what ensued, the remaining section was unfurled as the players emerged from the dressing rooms. “There is Francis,” it continued. Another stunning tifo depicted Clough watching proceedings beside his right-hand man Taylor on a dugout at the Olympiastadion.

Dominance from the Outset

So, the hosts had soaked up those wonderful memories, but what about the performance on the night? It was pretty good, too. They were in full command from the moment Kalimuendo whistled an effort wide inside the opening moments and established a two-goal lead by the break. Domínguez sent an early header off target and then Abbott, on his first European start, tried his luck.

It seemed appropriate that Yates, who joined the club as an eight-year-old, made the first dent in the Malmö defence led by their own homegrown captain, Pontus Jansson, previously of Leeds United and Brentford. The home defender Milenkovic saw a cross deflect off a defender and into the path of Yates, who swept home with his right foot from just inside the box to register his first goal since last March.

Second Strike Confirms Control

Yates was involved in Forest’s next goal on the brink of the interval, too, his free header saved by the shot-stopper Melker Ellborg but the alert forward on hand to convert the loose ball from close range. McAtee, the midfielder handed a seldom start and only his second outing since the autumn, was the spark, lofting a delicious ball towards Yates at the back post.

Just moments before, Hudson-Odoi’s driven shot was turned aside off the defender Colin Rösler, the son of former Man City forward Uwe, and an unmarked Milenkovic also previously had a strong header instinctively repelled by the keeper, who returned in place of the ex- Villa goalie Olsen.

Opponent's Struggles

This was Malmö’s first match since the Swedish Allsvenskan concluded on 9 November, and they found it hard to match Forest’s energy. The Reds extended the lead to three when Milenkovic scored after his centre-back partner Murillo headed back a set-piece. The captain had a shot stopped, but the Serbian defender Milenkovic pounced on the rebound.

The home side then went for the jugular, with Hudson-Odoi chipping a right-foot shot on to the crossbar before Sangaré sent an optimistic shot wide from distance. It was one of those nights. The manager, aware of Sunday’s domestic fixture here against Brighton & Hove Albion, implemented multiple alterations from the side that surprised Liverpool at their ground recently, when they additionally netted 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 night for Forest. Dyche could take off Murillo with the game already sewn up and subsequently introduced teenage defender Sinclair for his first-team debut. He discussed the Forest old guard supplying “bits of gold” at weekly get-togethers and, almost five decades on, the present squad demonstrated they are able of a few nuggets of excitement, too.