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“Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that,” was chanted around the City Ground as Nottingham Forest followers celebrated a further win against their Swedish opponents. A great deal has happened since Trevor Francis’s winning header clinched the continental trophy in 1979, but Forest still hold dear those memories. Equally, significant changes have taken place in the weeks since Sean Dyche assumed control, with the team looking reinvigorated and securing a convincing win courtesy of goals from Kalimuendo, Ryan Yates, and Milenkovic, enhancing their prospects of advancing in the Europa League.

Building Momentum with Third Consecutive Win

For Forest, this performance – against a Swedish side that had not played for nearly a month after finishing in sixth place in their home competition – represented a third consecutive triumph across every tournament and added to the positive energy generated from last weekend’s stunning victory at Anfield. While this fixture was a re-run of Forest’s European Cup success in name, the encounter itself was free of any real jeopardy or nerves.

This was an occasion dripping in nostalgia, an eagerly awaited meeting and the third competitive meeting between the sides since the European Cup final over four decades past.

Forest leaned into the history, paying tribute to the legends of 1979 by giving them, along with their Malmö opponents, the VIP welcome. 13 members of the Swedish club’s squad from that time were additionally present. The two clubs shared a meal together prior to the kick-off. Frank Clark, Colin Barrett and their teammates received a tumultuous reception when they assembled on the field 15 minutes before kick-off, and a characteristically impressive display was shown in the Trent End.

Remembering History

“May 30, 1979, John Robertson delivered the ball from the left flank,” displayed one part of a giant tifo, in block capitals. While nobody required a reminder of what happened next, the rest was revealed as the players came out from the dressing rooms. “There is Francis,” it continued. A second brilliant display showed Brian Clough watching events beside his right-hand man Peter Taylor on a dugout at the Olympiastadion.

Dominance from the Start

So, the hosts had soaked up those beautiful memories, but what about the showing on the evening? It was pretty good, as well. They were in complete control from the moment Kalimuendo fired an effort wide inside two minutes and established a 2-0 advantage by the break. Domínguez sent an early header wide and then Zach Abbott, on his first European start, tried his luck.

It seemed appropriate that Ryan Yates, who joined Forest as an eight-year-old, made the initial breakthrough in the visitors' defense captained by their own homegrown skipper, Pontus Jansson, formerly of Leeds and Brentford FC. The Forest centre-back Nikola Milenkovic saw a cross deflect off a opponent and into the path of Yates, who swept home right-footed from the edge of the box to score his first goal since March.

Second Strike Seals Dominance

Yates was involved in the team's next goal on the verge of half-time, as well, his free header parried by Malmö’s shot-stopper Ellborg but the alert forward poised to tap in the rebound from close range. James McAtee, the playmaker given a rare start and just his second outing since September, was the spark, chipping a perfect ball towards his teammate at the far post.

Just moments before, Callum Hudson-Odoi driven shot was turned wide off the back Colin Rösler, son of former Man City striker Uwe Rösler, and an free Milenkovic also previously had a strong header smartly saved by Ellborg, who returned in place of the former Villa goalkeeper Robin Olsen.

Malmö’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. Forest made it 3-0 when Milenkovic scored after his defensive colleague Murillo headed back a corner. The captain had a shot stopped, but the Serbia centre-back Milenkovic pounced on the leftovers.

The home side then went for the jugular, with the winger chipping a effort on to the crossbar before Sangaré sent an ambitious shot off target from distance. It was one of those evenings. Dyche, aware of the upcoming domestic fixture here against Brighton & Hove Albion, made seven changes from the team that surprised Liverpool at Anfield last weekend, when they also scored three times, though he called on substitutes and further fresh legs midway through the final period.

Smooth Night for the Team

It proved a flawless evening for Nottingham Forest. The coach could take off the defender with the match long since sewn up and subsequently brought on 19-year-old defender Sinclair for his first-team debut. Dyche discussed the Forest old guard providing “bits of gold” at weekly get-togethers and, almost five decades on, the present squad demonstrated they are able of a few nuggets of excitement, as well.