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“Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that,” was chanted through the City Ground as Nottingham Forest fans celebrated a further success against Malmö. Much has occurred since Francis's winning header clinched the continental trophy back in 1979, but Forest continue to hold dear those memories. Equally, major shifts have occurred in the five weeks since the manager took charge, with the team looking reinvigorated and earning a convincing win courtesy of goals from Arnaud Kalimuendo, Ryan Yates, and Milenkovic, boosting their hopes of progressing in the Europa League.

Gaining Momentum with Third Straight Win

For Forest, this performance – against a Malmö side that had been inactive for nearly a month after ending sixth in their domestic league – marked a third straight win across all competitions and further built on the positive energy generated from the previous week's success at Anfield. While this match was a reminder of Forest’s European Cup triumph in spirit, the game itself was devoid of any real jeopardy or nerves.

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

Forest leaned into the history, paying tribute to the legends of 1979 by giving them, along with their visiting opponents, the red-carpet treatment. 13 members of the Malmö's team from that time were also present. Both teams shared a dinner together before the match. Frank Clark, Colin Barrett and their teammates were given a rousing welcome when they assembled on the pitch a quarter of an hour before kick-off, and a typically superb tifo was unveiled in the home stand.

Remembering the Past

“May 30, 1979, Robertson crossed it in from the left,” read half of a large tifo, in block capitals. While nobody required a reminder of what ensued, the rest was unfurled as the players emerged from the tunnel. “There is Francis,” it continued. Another brilliant tifo showed Clough watching proceedings beside his assistant Peter Taylor on a dugout at the Olympiastadion.

Dominance from the Start

So, the hosts had soaked up those wonderful recollections, but what about the performance on the evening? It was pretty good, too. They were in full command from the moment Kalimuendo fired an attempt wide inside two minutes and built a 2-0 advantage by the break. Domínguez sent an early header wide and then Zach Abbott, on his first European start, had a go.

It seemed appropriate that Yates, who came to the club aged eight, made the first dent in the Malmö defense led by their own academy product skipper, Jansson, previously of Leeds United and Brentford. The Forest defender Milenkovic saw a cross cannon off a opponent and into the pathway of Yates, who swept home with his right foot from the edge of the box to register his first goal since March.

Another Goal Seals Dominance

The scorer was implicated in Forest’s second goal on the verge of half-time, as well, his free header parried by Malmö’s goalkeeper Ellborg but the alert forward poised to tap in the rebound from close range. McAtee, the playmaker given a rare start and only his second outing since September, was the catalyst, chipping a delicious ball towards his teammate at the back post.

A minute earlier, Hudson-Odoi’s low effort was turned aside off Malmö back Rösler, the son of former Man City forward Uwe Rösler, and an free the defender had earlier had a strong header smartly repelled by Ellborg, who was back in place of the ex- Villa goalie Olsen.

Malmö’s Difficulties

This was the Swedish side's first match since the domestic league ended on 9 November, and they found it hard to match the home team's energy. Forest made it 3-0 when Milenkovic applied the finishing touch after his centre-back partner Murillo headed back a set-piece. Yates had a volley blocked, but the Serbian centre-back Milenkovic feasted on the leftovers.

The home side then pushed for more, with Hudson-Odoi chipping a right-foot shot on to the bar before Ibrahim Sangaré sent an optimistic shot off target from 30 yards. It was that kind of nights. Dyche, aware of Sunday’s domestic fixture here against Brighton, implemented multiple alterations from the side that surprised Liverpool at their ground recently, when they also scored three times, though he introduced substitutes and Igor Jesus during the final period.

Hiccup-Free Evening for Forest

It proved a hiccup-free night for Forest. The coach could take off the defender with the game long since sewn up and later brought on 19-year-old defender Jimmy Sinclair for his first-team debut. He discussed the Forest old guard providing “valuable insights” at weekly get-togethers and, almost five decades on, the current crop demonstrated they are able of producing of excitement, too.