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“You’ll never sing that, champions of Europe,” echoed through the stadium as Nottingham Forest fans reveled in another win against their Swedish opponents. Much has occurred since Francis's winning header secured the continental trophy back in the year 1979, but Forest continue to hold dear those memories. Similarly, significant changes have taken place in the five weeks since Sean Dyche assumed control, with Forest appearing refreshed and securing a convincing win courtesy of goals from Kalimuendo, Yates, and Nikola Milenkovic, enhancing their hopes of advancing in the Europa League.

Gaining Steam with Third Consecutive Victory

For Nottingham Forest, this performance – against a Malmö side that had not played for almost three weeks after finishing sixth in their domestic league – represented a third consecutive win across every tournament and further built on the momentum gained from last weekend’s stunning victory at Anfield. While this fixture was a re-run of Forest’s European Cup triumph in name, the game itself was free of any significant tension or nerves.

This was an occasion dripping in sentiment, an eagerly awaited meeting and the third competitive meeting between the teams since the showpiece event over four decades past.

Forest leaned into the heritage, paying tribute to the legends of that era by providing them, along with their Malmö counterparts, the VIP welcome. 13 members of the Malmö's squad from then were also in attendance. The two clubs shared a dinner together before the kick-off. Frank Clark, Colin Barrett and company received a rousing reception when they assembled on the field a quarter of an hour before kick-off, and a characteristically impressive tifo was shown in the Trent End.

Remembering History

“May 30, 1979, Robertson crossed it in from the left flank,” displayed half of a large banner, in capital letters. While nobody required a reminder of what ensued, the remaining section was unfurled as the players emerged from the tunnel. “And there’s Francis,” it continued. A second brilliant display depicted Clough watching proceedings beside his assistant Peter Taylor on a bench at the Olympiastadion.

Control from the Outset

So, the hosts had soaked up those beautiful memories, but what about the performance on the evening? It was impressive, as well. They were in full command from the moment the forward whistled an effort off target inside the opening moments and established a 2-0 advantage by the break. Domínguez sent an early header wide and then Abbott, on his first European start, tried his luck.

It seemed appropriate that Yates, who joined Forest aged eight, made the first dent in the Malmö defense captained by their own academy product captain, Pontus Jansson, previously of Leeds and Brentford. The Forest defender Nikola Milenkovic saw a delivery deflect off a defender and into the path of the midfielder, who swept home with his right foot from the edge of the box to register his first goal since March.

Another Goal Confirms Dominance

Yates was implicated in Forest’s second goal on the verge of half-time, too, his free header parried by the goalkeeper Ellborg but the alert forward on hand to tap in the loose ball from close range. James McAtee, the midfielder handed a rare start and only his second appearance since the autumn, was the spark, lofting a delicious ball towards Yates at the far post.

Just moments before, Hudson-Odoi’s low effort was turned aside off Malmö back Colin Rösler, the son of former Manchester City striker Uwe Rösler, and an free Milenkovic also previously had a strong header instinctively saved by Ellborg, who returned in place of the former Aston Villa goalkeeper Robin Olsen.

Malmö’s Difficulties

This was the Swedish side's first match since the Swedish Allsvenskan ended on November 9th, and they struggled to match Forest’s intensity. Forest extended the lead to three when the defender applied the finishing touch after his defensive colleague Murillo headed back a set-piece. The captain had a volley stopped, but the Serbian defender Milenkovic pounced on the leftovers.

Forest then went for the jugular, with the winger chipping a right-foot shot on to the crossbar before Sangaré sent an optimistic effort off target from distance. It was one of those evenings. Dyche, aware of Sunday’s domestic fixture here against Brighton, made seven changes from the side that surprised the Reds at Anfield recently, when they additionally scored three goals, though he introduced Elliot Anderson, Dan Ndoye and further fresh legs midway through the second half.

Smooth Evening for the Team

It proved a flawless night for Nottingham Forest. Dyche could withdraw the defender with the game already boxed off and subsequently brought on 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 current crop demonstrated they are able of producing of excitement, too.