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“You’ll never sing that, champions of Europe,” rang out around the City Ground as Forest followers celebrated another win against Malmö. Much has happened since Trevor Francis’s decisive header secured the continental trophy back in 1979, but the club continue to cherish those glorious moments. Equally, major changes have occurred in the five weeks since the manager assumed control, with Forest appearing reinvigorated and earning a comfortable victory courtesy of goals from Arnaud Kalimuendo, Yates, and Milenkovic, enhancing their hopes of progressing in the European competition.

Gaining Steam with Third Straight Victory

For Forest, this result – against a Swedish side that had been inactive for nearly a month after ending sixth in their home competition – represented a third straight triumph across all competitions and added to the positive energy gained from last weekend’s stunning victory at Liverpool. While this match was a re-run of the club's historic triumph in name, the encounter itself was free of any real tension or jitters.

This was an event dripping in nostalgia, an eagerly awaited meeting and the third clash between the teams since the European Cup final 46 years ago.

Forest leaned into the heritage, paying tribute to the heroes of that era by giving them, along with their visiting opponents, the red-carpet treatment. 13 members of the Swedish club’s team from then were also present. The two clubs enjoyed a meal together before the kick-off. Frank Clark, Colin Barrett and their teammates were given a rousing reception when they gathered on the pitch a quarter of an hour before the start, and a typically superb display was unveiled in the home stand.

Remembering History

“May 30, 1979, Robertson delivered the ball from the left flank,” read one part of a giant banner, in block capitals. While no one required a reminder of what ensued, the rest was unfurled as the squads came out from the dressing rooms. “There is Francis,” it stated. A second brilliant display showed Clough watching events beside his assistant Taylor on a bench at the Munich stadium.

Dominance from the Start

So, the hosts had soaked up those beautiful memories, but what about the performance on the evening? It was pretty good, too. They were in complete control from the moment the forward whistled an effort wide inside two minutes and established a 2-0 lead by the half-time interval. Domínguez sent an early header wide and then Zach Abbott, on his maiden European start, had a go.

It felt fitting that Yates, who came to the club as an eight-year-old, made the first dent in the Malmö defense captained by their own homegrown captain, Jansson, previously of Leeds United and Brentford. The Forest centre-back Nikola Milenkovic saw a delivery cannon off a defender and into the pathway of Yates, who finished right-footed from just inside the box to register his first goal since last March.

Second Goal Seals Dominance

The scorer was involved in the team's second goal on the verge of half-time, as well, his free header parried by the shot-stopper Melker Ellborg but the alert forward poised to tap in the rebound from close range. McAtee, the midfielder handed a rare start and just his second outing since September, was the catalyst, chipping a delicious ball towards his teammate at the far post.

A minute earlier, Hudson-Odoi’s low effort was turned aside off the defender Colin Rösler, the son of former Manchester City forward Uwe, and an unmarked Milenkovic also earlier had a strong header smartly saved by the keeper, who returned in place of the ex- Villa goalie Olsen.

Malmö’s Struggles

This was Malmö’s initial game since the domestic league concluded on November 9th, and they found it hard to match the home team's energy. The Reds extended the lead to three when the defender applied the finishing touch after his centre-back partner Murillo headed back a set-piece. The captain had a volley stopped, but the Serbian defender Milenkovic feasted on the leftovers.

Forest then went for the jugular, with Hudson-Odoi chipping a right-foot shot on to the crossbar before Ibrahim Sangaré sent an optimistic shot off target from distance. It was that kind of evenings. The manager, mindful of Sunday’s domestic fixture here against Brighton, made multiple alterations from the side that stunned Liverpool at Anfield recently, when they also scored three goals, though he called on substitutes and Igor Jesus during the second half.

Smooth Night for the Team

It turned out to be a hiccup-free night for Forest. Dyche could withdraw the defender with the game long since boxed off and later introduced teenage full-back Jimmy Sinclair for his first-team debut. He talked about the Forest old guard providing “bits of gold” at regular meetings and, almost five decades on, the present squad showed they are able of a few nuggets of thrills, as well.