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“You’ll never sing that, champions of Europe,” was chanted through the City Ground as Nottingham Forest supporters reveled in another win against Malmö. Much has happened since Francis's decisive header secured the European Cup in the year 1979, but Forest still cherish those glorious moments. Equally, significant shifts have occurred in the weeks since Sean Dyche took charge, with Forest appearing refreshed and securing a comfortable victory courtesy of goals from Kalimuendo, Ryan Yates, and Nikola Milenkovic, enhancing their hopes of progressing in the European competition.

Building Steam with Another Straight Victory

For Forest, this result – against a Malmö side that had been inactive for almost three weeks after ending sixth in their home competition – marked a third straight win across every tournament and further built on the momentum gained from the previous week's success at Anfield. While this fixture was a reminder of the club's European Cup triumph in spirit, the encounter itself was free of any significant tension or jitters.

It proved to be an event dripping in nostalgia, an eagerly awaited meeting and the third competitive meeting between the sides since the European Cup final 46 years ago.

The home side fully embraced the history, honoring the heroes of 1979 by providing them, along with their Malmö counterparts, the red-carpet treatment. 13 members of the Swedish club’s squad from then were additionally present. Both teams enjoyed a dinner together prior to the match. Frank Clark, Colin Barrett and company received a rousing reception when they assembled on the field a quarter of an hour before the start, and a characteristically superb display was shown in the home stand.

Recalling History

“May 30, 1979, Robertson crossed it in from the left,” read one part of a large tifo, in block capitals. While nobody required a reminder of what happened next, the rest was unfurled as the players came out from the dressing rooms. “And there’s Francis,” it continued. A second brilliant display depicted Clough observing proceedings beside his assistant Taylor on a bench at the Munich stadium.

Dominance from the Outset

So, the hosts had drunk in those wonderful memories, but what about the performance on the evening? It was pretty good, too. They were in full command from the moment the forward whistled an attempt wide inside the opening moments and established a 2-0 lead by the half-time interval. Nicolás Domínguez sent an early header wide and then Abbott, on his maiden European start, tried his luck.

It felt fitting that Yates, who came to the club as an eight-year-old, made the first dent in the Malmö defence led by their own academy product captain, Jansson, formerly of Leeds United and Brentford FC. The Forest defender Nikola Milenkovic saw a delivery deflect off a defender and into the pathway of the midfielder, who finished right-footed from just inside the penalty area to score his first goal since last March.

Another Goal Seals Control

Yates was implicated in the team's next goal on the verge of the interval, too, his unmarked header saved by Malmö’s goalkeeper Melker Ellborg but Kalimuendo on hand to convert the loose ball from close range. James McAtee, the midfielder handed a seldom start and just his second outing since the autumn, was the spark, lofting a perfect ball towards Yates at the back post.

A minute earlier, Hudson-Odoi’s low effort was turned wide off Malmö defender Rösler, son of ex- Man City forward Uwe, and an unmarked the defender also previously had a strong header instinctively saved by Ellborg, who was back in place of the former Aston Villa goalie Robin Olsen.

Malmö’s Struggles

This was Malmö’s first match since the domestic league ended on November 9th, and they struggled to equal the home team's energy. Forest made it 3-0 when the defender scored after his centre-back partner Murillo headed back a set-piece. Yates had a shot blocked, but the Serbian defender Milenkovic pounced on the leftovers.

The home side then went for the jugular, with Hudson-Odoi chipping a effort on to the crossbar before Ibrahim Sangaré sent an ambitious effort wide from 30 yards. It was one of those evenings. The manager, mindful of the upcoming league game here against Brighton, implemented multiple alterations from the side that stunned the Reds at Anfield recently, when they also scored three times, though he introduced substitutes and further fresh legs during the final period.

Hiccup-Free Night for the Team

It proved a flawless night for Forest. The coach could take off Murillo with the game already sewn up and subsequently introduced 19-year-old full-back Jimmy Sinclair for his senior bow. Dyche talked about the Forest old guard supplying “bits of gold” at regular meetings and, almost five decades on, the current crop showed they are able of producing of excitement, too.