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“Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that,” echoed around the City Ground as Nottingham Forest fans reveled in a further result against Malmö. Much has happened since Trevor Francis’s winning header clinched the European Cup back in the year 1979, but the club continue to hold dear those glorious moments. Similarly, significant changes have occurred in the five weeks since the manager took charge, with the team looking reinvigorated and earning a comfortable victory courtesy of goals from Kalimuendo, Yates, and Milenkovic, boosting their hopes of advancing in the Europa League.

Building Steam with Third Straight Win

For Forest, this performance – against a Malmö side that had not played for nearly a month after finishing sixth in their domestic league – marked a third consecutive triumph across all competitions and further built on the positive energy generated from last weekend’s stunning victory at Anfield. While this fixture was a re-run of Forest’s historic triumph in spirit, the game itself was free of any real jeopardy or nerves.

This was an occasion dripping in sentiment, an longed-for meeting and the third clash between the sides since the European Cup final over four decades past.

The home side fully embraced the heritage, paying tribute to the legends of 1979 by giving them, along with their visiting counterparts, the red-carpet treatment. Thirteen members of the Malmö's team from then were also in attendance. The two clubs shared a meal together before the kick-off. Forest legends and company were given a tumultuous reception when they assembled on the field 15 minutes before kick-off, and a typically superb display was shown in the Trent End.

Recalling the Past

“30th May 1979, Robertson crossed it in from the left flank,” displayed one part of a giant tifo, in block capitals. While no one required a reminder of what ensued, the rest was unfurled as the squads emerged from the dressing rooms. “And there’s Francis,” it continued. Another stunning display showed Brian Clough observing events beside his right-hand man Peter Taylor on a bench at the Munich stadium.

Dominance from the Start

So, Forest had soaked up those wonderful recollections, but what about the performance on the night? It was impressive, as well. They were in full command from the moment Kalimuendo fired an attempt off target inside two minutes and built a 2-0 lead by the half-time interval. Domínguez sent an early header off target and then Zach Abbott, on his first European start, tried his luck.

It felt fitting that Yates, who came to the club as an eight-year-old, made the initial breakthrough in the visitors' defence captained by their own homegrown captain, Jansson, previously of Leeds and Brentford. The home defender Nikola Milenkovic saw a delivery deflect off a opponent and into the pathway of the midfielder, who swept home with his right foot from the edge of the penalty area to score his first goal since last March.

Another Goal Seals Control

Yates was implicated in the team's second goal on the verge of half-time, as well, his free header parried by the goalkeeper Melker Ellborg but Kalimuendo poised to convert the loose ball from point-blank range. James McAtee, the playmaker handed a seldom start and just his second appearance since the autumn, was the spark, chipping a perfect ball towards his teammate at the back post.

Just moments before, Hudson-Odoi’s low effort was deflected wide off Malmö defender Colin Rösler, the son of ex- Manchester City forward Uwe, and an free Milenkovic had previously had a powerful header smartly saved by Ellborg, who returned in place of the former Aston Villa goalkeeper Olsen.

Opponent's Struggles

This was the Swedish side's first match since the domestic league ended on November 9th, and they struggled to match the home team's intensity. The Reds extended the lead to three when the defender scored after his defensive colleague Murillo kept alive a set-piece. Yates had a volley stopped, but the Serbia centre-back Milenkovic feasted on the rebound.

Forest then pushed for more, with Hudson-Odoi chipping 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, mindful of Sunday’s domestic fixture here against Brighton, implemented multiple alterations from the team that surprised Liverpool at Anfield recently, when they also netted three times, though he introduced Elliot Anderson, Dan Ndoye and further fresh legs midway through the final period.

Smooth Evening for the Team

It proved a flawless evening for Nottingham Forest. Dyche could take off the defender with the match long since sewn up and subsequently brought on teenage full-back Sinclair for his senior bow. He discussed the club legends providing “bits of gold” at weekly get-togethers and, nearly fifty years on, the present squad showed they are able of a few nuggets of thrills, as well.