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“Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that,” rang out around the ground as Nottingham Forest fans celebrated a further result against Malmö. A great deal has happened since Trevor Francis’s winning header secured the European Cup back in the year 1979, but Forest continue to cherish those glorious moments. Equally, major shifts have occurred in the weeks since Sean Dyche took charge, with Forest appearing reinvigorated and earning a comfortable victory courtesy of goals from Arnaud Kalimuendo, Yates, and Milenkovic, enhancing their hopes of advancing in the European competition.

Building Momentum with Another Straight Win

For Nottingham Forest, this performance – against a Swedish side that had been inactive for almost three weeks after ending in sixth place in their domestic league – marked a third consecutive triumph across every tournament and further built on the positive energy gained from last weekend’s success at Liverpool. While this match was a reminder of the club's European Cup triumph in name, the game itself was devoid of any real tension or jitters.

It proved to be an event dripping in sentiment, an longed-for reunion and the third competitive clash between the sides since the European Cup final over four decades past.

The home side leaned into the history, paying tribute to the heroes of 1979 by providing them, along with their visiting opponents, the VIP welcome. Thirteen members of the Swedish club’s team from then were also present. Both teams shared a meal together before the kick-off. Frank Clark, Colin Barrett and their teammates were given a rousing reception when they assembled on the field 15 minutes before the start, and a characteristically impressive tifo was shown in the Trent End.

Recalling the Past

“May 30, 1979, Robertson crossed it in from the left flank,” displayed one part of a large tifo, in capital letters. While no one required a reminder of what ensued, the remaining section was unfurled as the squads came out from the tunnel. “There is Francis,” it continued. A second brilliant display showed Clough watching events beside his assistant Taylor on a bench at the Olympiastadion.

Control from the Start

So, Forest had soaked up those beautiful memories, but what about the showing on the night? It was impressive, too. They were in full command from the moment the forward fired an effort off target inside two minutes and established a two-goal lead by the half-time interval. Domínguez sent an early header off target and then Zach Abbott, on his maiden European start, tried his luck.

It felt fitting that Ryan Yates, who joined Forest as an eight-year-old, made the first dent in the Malmö defense captained by their own academy product skipper, Pontus Jansson, previously of Leeds and Brentford. The home centre-back Milenkovic saw a delivery cannon off a defender and into the path of the midfielder, who swept home right-footed from the edge of the box to score his maiden strike since March.

Another Goal Seals Control

The scorer was implicated in the team's second goal on the brink of the interval, as well, his free header parried by Malmö’s shot-stopper Ellborg but the alert forward on hand to convert the rebound from point-blank range. McAtee, the midfielder handed a seldom start and just his second appearance since September, was the spark, lofting a perfect ball towards his teammate at the far post.

A minute earlier, Hudson-Odoi’s low effort was deflected aside off the back Rösler, son of former Manchester City striker Uwe, and an unmarked Milenkovic had previously had a powerful header smartly repelled by Ellborg, who returned in place of the ex- Aston Villa goalie Robin Olsen.

Malmö’s Struggles

This was the Swedish side's initial game since the Swedish Allsvenskan ended on November 9th, and they struggled to equal the home team's energy. The Reds extended the lead to three when Milenkovic scored after his centre-back partner Murillo kept alive a corner. Yates had a shot stopped, but the Serbian centre-back Milenkovic pounced on the leftovers.

Forest then pushed for more, with the winger chipping a effort on to the bar before Ibrahim Sangaré sent an optimistic effort wide from distance. It was one of those evenings. Dyche, mindful of Sunday’s domestic fixture here against Brighton & Hove Albion, implemented multiple alterations from the team that stunned the Reds at their ground recently, when they also netted three goals, though he called on Elliot Anderson, Dan Ndoye and Igor Jesus midway through the second half.

Smooth Night for the Team

It proved a hiccup-free night for Forest. The coach could take off Murillo with the game already boxed off and later introduced 19-year-old full-back Jimmy Sinclair for his first-team debut. Dyche talked about the Forest old guard supplying “bits of gold” at weekly get-togethers and, nearly fifty years on, the current crop demonstrated they are able of producing of excitement, too.