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“You’ll never sing that, champions of Europe,” echoed around the stadium as Nottingham Forest followers celebrated a further success against their Swedish opponents. A great deal has transpired since Francis's decisive header secured the continental trophy back in 1979, but Forest continue to hold dear those memories. Equally, major shifts have occurred in the weeks since the manager took charge, with the team looking refreshed and securing a convincing win courtesy of goals from Arnaud Kalimuendo, Yates, and Nikola Milenkovic, enhancing their prospects of progressing in the European competition.

Building Momentum with Another Consecutive Victory

For Nottingham Forest, this performance – against a Malmö side that had been inactive for nearly a month after finishing sixth in their home competition – represented a third consecutive win across all competitions and further built on the positive energy generated from last weekend’s success at Liverpool. While this fixture was a reminder of the club's European Cup triumph in name, the game itself was free of any real jeopardy or nerves.

This was an event dripping in nostalgia, an eagerly awaited meeting and the third meeting between the sides since the showpiece event 46 years ago.

The home side fully embraced the history, honoring the legends of 1979 by providing them, along with their visiting counterparts, the red-carpet treatment. Thirteen members of the Malmö's squad from then were also present. Both teams shared a dinner together before the match. Frank Clark, Colin Barrett and their teammates were given a rousing reception when they assembled on the field a quarter of an hour before the start, and a typically superb tifo was shown in the Trent End.

Recalling History

“30th May 1979, John Robertson delivered the ball from the left,” read half of a large tifo, in block capitals. While nobody needed reminding of what ensued, the rest was unfurled as the players emerged from the dressing rooms. “And there’s Francis,” it continued. Another stunning tifo showed Brian Clough watching events beside his assistant Taylor on a bench at the Munich stadium.

Control from the Start

So, the hosts had soaked up those wonderful memories, but what about the performance on the night? It was impressive, too. They were in complete control from the moment Kalimuendo whistled an effort wide inside two minutes and built a 2-0 advantage by the half-time interval. Domínguez sent an early header wide and then Abbott, on his first 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 visitors' defence led by their own academy product captain, Pontus Jansson, formerly of Leeds and Brentford. The home defender Milenkovic saw a delivery deflect off a opponent and into the pathway of the midfielder, who swept home right-footed from the edge of the penalty area to register his first goal since March.

Another Goal Seals Control

The scorer was involved in Forest’s next goal on the verge of half-time, too, his free header parried by the goalkeeper Melker Ellborg but Kalimuendo poised to tap in the loose ball from close range. James McAtee, the playmaker handed a rare start and only his second appearance since September, was the spark, lofting a perfect ball towards his teammate at the back post.

A minute earlier, Callum Hudson-Odoi driven shot was deflected aside off the back Rösler, son of ex- Man City striker Uwe, and an free the defender also earlier had a strong header instinctively repelled by the keeper, who returned in place of the ex- Aston Villa goalkeeper Robin Olsen.

Opponent's Difficulties

This was the Swedish side's initial game since the domestic league ended on 9 November, and they struggled to match the home team's intensity. The Reds extended the lead to three when Milenkovic scored after his centre-back partner Murillo headed back a set-piece. The captain had a volley blocked, but the Serbia defender Milenkovic feasted on the leftovers.

The home side then pushed for more, with Hudson-Odoi dinking a effort on to the bar before Sangaré sent an optimistic effort off target from 30 yards. It was one of those nights. The manager, mindful of the upcoming league game here against Brighton & Hove Albion, implemented multiple alterations from the side that stunned Liverpool at their ground recently, when they also netted three times, though he called on substitutes and Igor Jesus midway through the second half.

Smooth Evening for the Team

It turned out to be a flawless evening for Forest. Dyche could take off Murillo with the match already boxed off and subsequently introduced 19-year-old full-back Sinclair for his first-team debut. He discussed the club legends providing “valuable insights” at regular meetings and, almost five decades on, the present squad showed they are able of a few nuggets of excitement, too.