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“You’ll never sing that, champions of Europe,” echoed through the stadium as Forest supporters celebrated another win against Malmö. A great deal has transpired since Trevor Francis’s winning header secured the continental trophy in the year 1979, but Forest continue to treasure those memories. Equally, significant shifts have taken place in the weeks since the manager assumed control, with Forest looking reinvigorated and securing a convincing win thanks to goals from Arnaud Kalimuendo, Ryan Yates, and Nikola Milenkovic, boosting their hopes of progressing in the European competition.

Gaining Momentum with Third Straight Win

For Forest, this result – against a Malmö side that had not played for nearly a month after ending in sixth place in their domestic league – represented a third consecutive triumph across every tournament and further built on the positive energy gained from last weekend’s success at Anfield. While this match was a re-run of the club's European Cup triumph in name, the game itself was devoid of any real jeopardy or jitters.

It proved to be an event dripping in sentiment, an longed-for reunion and the third meeting between the teams since the showpiece event 46 years ago.

Forest leaned into the heritage, honoring the legends of that era by giving them, along with their visiting opponents, the VIP welcome. Thirteen members of the Swedish club’s squad from that time were also present. The two clubs enjoyed a dinner together before the match. Forest legends and company received a rousing reception when they gathered on the pitch a quarter of an hour before the start, and a typically superb tifo was unveiled in the Trent End.

Recalling the Past

“30th May 1979, Robertson crossed it in from the left flank,” read one part of a large tifo, in capital letters. While no one needed reminding of what ensued, the remaining section was revealed as the squads came out from the dressing rooms. “There is Francis,” it continued. A second brilliant tifo showed Clough watching proceedings beside his assistant Taylor on a dugout at the Munich stadium.

Dominance from the Outset

So, the hosts had soaked up those wonderful recollections, but what about the showing on the evening? It was strong, as well. They were in complete control from the moment the forward whistled an attempt wide inside two minutes and established a 2-0 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 as an eight-year-old, made the initial breakthrough in the visitors' defence captained by their own academy product captain, Pontus Jansson, previously of Leeds United and Brentford. The home defender Nikola Milenkovic saw a cross cannon off a defender and into the pathway of Yates, who swept home with his right foot from the edge of the box to register his first goal since last March.

Another Strike Confirms Control

Yates was implicated in Forest’s next goal on the brink of half-time, too, his unmarked header parried by Malmö’s goalkeeper Ellborg but Kalimuendo poised to convert the loose ball from point-blank range. James McAtee, the playmaker handed a rare start and just his second appearance since September, was the catalyst, chipping a delicious ball towards Yates at the far post.

A minute earlier, Callum Hudson-Odoi driven shot was turned aside off Malmö back Rösler, son of former Man City forward Uwe, and an free the defender also earlier had a powerful header smartly repelled by the keeper, who was back in place of the ex- Aston Villa goalie Robin Olsen.

Opponent's Difficulties

This was Malmö’s first match since the Swedish Allsvenskan concluded on November 9th, and they struggled to match Forest’s intensity. The Reds extended the lead to three when the defender applied the finishing touch after his centre-back partner Murillo kept alive a set-piece. Yates had a shot stopped, but the Serbian centre-back Milenkovic pounced on the leftovers.

Forest then pushed for more, with Hudson-Odoi dinking a right-foot shot on to the bar before Ibrahim Sangaré sent an ambitious effort off target from distance. It was that kind of nights. Dyche, aware of Sunday’s domestic fixture here against Brighton, implemented multiple alterations from the team that surprised Liverpool at Anfield last weekend, when they additionally netted three times, though he called on substitutes and Igor Jesus midway through the second half.

Smooth Night for Forest

It turned out to be a hiccup-free night for Nottingham Forest. Dyche could take off Murillo with the match long since boxed off and subsequently brought on 19-year-old full-back Sinclair for his first-team debut. Dyche talked about the club legends supplying “valuable insights” at regular meetings and, nearly fifty years on, the present squad demonstrated they are able of producing of thrills, too.