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“Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that,” echoed around the stadium as Forest followers reveled in a further success against Malmö. Much has occurred since Francis's decisive header clinched the European Cup in the year 1979, but the club continue to hold dear those memories. Similarly, major shifts have taken place in the weeks since the manager assumed control, with the team looking reinvigorated and securing a convincing victory courtesy of goals from Arnaud Kalimuendo, Yates, and Milenkovic, enhancing their hopes of progressing in the Europa League.

Gaining Steam with Another Consecutive Win

For Forest, this result – against a Swedish side that had been inactive for nearly a month after finishing sixth in their home competition – marked a third straight win across every tournament and added to the positive energy gained from the previous week's success at Liverpool. While this fixture was a reminder of Forest’s historic success in name, the game itself was devoid of any significant tension or jitters.

It proved to be an occasion filled with sentiment, an longed-for meeting and the third competitive clash between the teams since the showpiece event over four decades past.

Forest leaned into the history, paying tribute to the legends of that era by giving them, along with their Malmö opponents, the red-carpet treatment. Thirteen members of the Swedish club’s team from then were also present. Both teams shared a dinner together prior to the match. Frank Clark, Colin Barrett and company were given a rousing reception when they gathered on the field a quarter of an hour before the start, and a characteristically impressive tifo was unveiled in the Trent End.

Remembering History

“30th May 1979, John Robertson delivered the ball from the left flank,” read half of a large tifo, in block capitals. While nobody required a reminder of what happened next, the remaining section was unfurled as the players came out from the tunnel. “And there’s Francis,” it continued. A second stunning display showed Brian Clough watching proceedings beside his assistant Taylor on a dugout at the Olympiastadion.

Dominance from the Start

So, Forest had drunk in those beautiful memories, but what about the showing on the evening? It was impressive, too. They were in complete control from the moment the forward fired an attempt off target inside the opening moments and established a two-goal advantage by the break. Nicolás Domínguez sent an early header off target and then Zach Abbott, on his maiden European start, tried his luck.

It seemed appropriate that Ryan Yates, who came to Forest as an eight-year-old, made the initial breakthrough in the Malmö defense captained by their own academy product captain, Pontus Jansson, previously of Leeds United and Brentford. The home centre-back Nikola Milenkovic saw a cross cannon off a defender and into the pathway of Yates, who finished with his right foot from the edge of the penalty area to score his maiden strike since March.

Another Strike Seals Control

The scorer was implicated in the team's second goal on the verge of the interval, as well, his free header parried by the goalkeeper Ellborg but Kalimuendo on hand to convert the rebound from close range. McAtee, the midfielder handed a seldom start and just his second appearance since the autumn, was the catalyst, lofting a perfect ball towards his teammate at the back post.

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

Malmö’s Difficulties

This was the Swedish side's initial game since the Swedish Allsvenskan ended on November 9th, and they struggled to match Forest’s intensity. The Reds extended the lead to three when Milenkovic applied the finishing touch after his centre-back partner Murillo kept alive a corner. Yates had a volley blocked, but the Serbia defender Milenkovic pounced on the rebound.

The home side then went for the jugular, with the winger chipping a right-foot shot on to the crossbar before Sangaré sent an ambitious shot wide from distance. It was that kind of evenings. Dyche, mindful of the upcoming league game here against Brighton & Hove Albion, made multiple alterations from the team that stunned Liverpool at their ground last weekend, when they also scored three times, though he called on Elliot Anderson, Dan Ndoye and Igor Jesus during the final period.

Smooth Evening for the Team

It proved a hiccup-free evening for Forest. Dyche could take off Murillo with the game already boxed off and subsequently brought on 19-year-old full-back Sinclair for his senior bow. He talked about 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 thrills, as well.