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“You’ll never sing that, champions of Europe,” rang out around the City Ground as Forest followers reveled in a further success against Malmö. Much has occurred since Trevor Francis’s winning header secured the continental trophy back in the year 1979, but Forest continue to cherish those glorious moments. Similarly, major shifts have taken place in the weeks since the manager assumed control, with the team appearing reinvigorated and securing a comfortable win courtesy of goals from Arnaud Kalimuendo, Yates, and Milenkovic, boosting their prospects of advancing in the Europa League.

Building Momentum with Another Straight Win

For Nottingham Forest, this performance – against a Malmö side that had not played for nearly a month after ending in sixth place in their home competition – represented a third straight win across every tournament and added to the momentum gained from the previous week's success at Liverpool. While this fixture was a re-run of Forest’s European Cup success in name, the game itself was free of any real tension or jitters.

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

Forest leaned into the history, paying tribute to the legends of that era by giving them, along with their Malmö counterparts, the VIP welcome. 13 members of the Malmö's squad from then were also present. The two clubs shared a meal together before the kick-off. Forest legends and their teammates were given a rousing welcome when they assembled on the field 15 minutes before kick-off, and a typically superb display was unveiled in the home stand.

Remembering History

“May 30, 1979, John Robertson delivered the ball from the left,” displayed half of a large banner, in capital letters. While no one needed reminding of what ensued, the remaining section was revealed as the squads emerged from the dressing rooms. “There is Francis,” it stated. A second brilliant display showed Clough observing proceedings beside his assistant Peter Taylor on a bench at the Munich stadium.

Control from the Start

So, Forest had soaked up those wonderful memories, but what about the showing on the evening? It was strong, too. They were in full command from the moment the forward fired an attempt off target inside two minutes and established a two-goal lead by the half-time interval. Domínguez sent an early header off target and then Abbott, on his maiden European start, tried his luck.

It felt fitting that Yates, who joined the club as an eight-year-old, made the initial breakthrough in the Malmö defence led by their own academy product captain, Jansson, previously of Leeds and Brentford. The Forest defender Nikola Milenkovic saw a cross cannon off a opponent and into the pathway of Yates, who swept home with his right foot from just inside the box to register his first goal since last March.

Another Goal Seals Control

Yates was involved in Forest’s next goal on the brink of half-time, as well, his unmarked header parried by the shot-stopper Melker Ellborg but the alert forward poised to convert the loose ball from close range. James McAtee, the playmaker handed a seldom 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 low effort was turned wide off Malmö defender Rösler, son of ex- Man City forward Uwe, and an free Milenkovic also previously had a powerful header smartly saved by the keeper, who returned in place of the former Aston Villa goalkeeper Olsen.

Malmö’s Struggles

This was Malmö’s first match since the domestic league concluded on November 9th, and they struggled to match the home team's intensity. Forest extended the lead to three when Milenkovic scored after his centre-back partner Murillo headed back a set-piece. Yates had a shot blocked, but the Serbian defender Milenkovic feasted on the rebound.

The home side then went for the jugular, with the winger chipping a right-foot shot on to the crossbar before Sangaré sent an optimistic shot off target from 30 yards. It was that kind of evenings. Dyche, mindful of Sunday’s domestic fixture here against Brighton & Hove Albion, implemented multiple alterations from the side that surprised Liverpool at Anfield last weekend, when they additionally scored three times, though he introduced substitutes and Igor Jesus midway through the final period.

Hiccup-Free Evening for Forest

It turned out to be a hiccup-free evening for Nottingham Forest. The coach could take off the defender with the match already sewn up and subsequently brought on teenage full-back Jimmy Sinclair for his senior bow. Dyche talked about the Forest old guard supplying “valuable insights” at weekly get-togethers and, nearly fifty years on, the current crop showed they are capable of a few nuggets of excitement, too.