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“You’ll never sing that, champions of Europe,” echoed through the City Ground as Nottingham Forest fans reveled in another result against their Swedish opponents. Much has transpired since Trevor Francis’s winning header clinched the European Cup back in the year 1979, but the club still treasure those glorious moments. Similarly, significant changes have taken place in the five weeks since the manager took charge, with the team looking reinvigorated and earning a comfortable win thanks to goals from Arnaud Kalimuendo, Yates, and Milenkovic, enhancing their prospects of progressing in the Europa League.

Gaining Steam with Third Consecutive Win

For Forest, this result – against a Swedish side that had been inactive for nearly a month after finishing in sixth place in their domestic league – represented a third straight win across all competitions and added to the momentum gained from last weekend’s stunning victory at Anfield. While this fixture was a re-run of the club's historic triumph in name, the encounter itself was free of any real jeopardy or jitters.

This was an event dripping in sentiment, an longed-for reunion and the third meeting between the teams since the showpiece event 46 years ago.

Forest leaned into the history, honoring the heroes of 1979 by providing them, along with their visiting counterparts, the red-carpet treatment. Thirteen members of the Swedish club’s team from that time were additionally present. Both teams shared a dinner together prior to the match. Frank Clark, Colin Barrett and their teammates were given a rousing welcome when they assembled on the field 15 minutes before kick-off, and a typically impressive tifo was unveiled in the home stand.

Remembering History

“May 30, 1979, Robertson delivered the ball from the left,” read half of a giant tifo, in block capitals. While nobody required a reminder of what happened next, the rest was unfurled as the squads emerged from the tunnel. “And there’s Francis,” it continued. A second brilliant tifo depicted Clough observing events beside his right-hand man Taylor on a dugout at the Olympiastadion.

Dominance from the Outset

So, Forest had drunk in those wonderful recollections, 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 2-0 lead by the break. 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 the club aged eight, made the initial breakthrough in the Malmö defense led by their own homegrown captain, Jansson, previously of Leeds United and Brentford. The Forest defender Nikola Milenkovic saw a cross deflect off a opponent and into the pathway of Yates, who finished with his right foot from just inside the box to register his maiden strike since last March.

Another Goal Confirms Dominance

The scorer was implicated in the team's second goal on the brink of half-time, too, his free header saved by the goalkeeper Ellborg but Kalimuendo on hand to convert the loose ball from close range. James McAtee, the playmaker handed a rare start and just his second appearance since September, was the catalyst, lofting a perfect ball towards Yates at the back post.

Just moments before, Hudson-Odoi’s low effort was turned wide off the defender Colin Rösler, the son of former Manchester City forward Uwe Rösler, and an unmarked Milenkovic had earlier had a powerful header instinctively repelled by the keeper, who returned in place of the ex- Villa goalie Robin Olsen.

Malmö’s Difficulties

This was the Swedish side's initial game since the domestic league concluded on 9 November, and they found it hard to equal the home team's energy. The Reds extended the lead to three when Milenkovic scored after his defensive colleague Murillo kept alive a set-piece. Yates had a shot stopped, but the Serbia centre-back Milenkovic feasted on the rebound.

Forest then pushed for more, with the winger dinking a right-foot shot on to the crossbar before Sangaré sent an optimistic effort wide from distance. It was that kind of evenings. The manager, aware of Sunday’s domestic fixture here against Brighton, implemented seven changes from the team that surprised Liverpool at Anfield last weekend, when they additionally scored three goals, though he introduced substitutes and further fresh legs midway through the final period.

Hiccup-Free Evening for the Team

It proved a flawless evening for Nottingham Forest. Dyche could withdraw Murillo with the match long since boxed off and later introduced teenage full-back Jimmy Sinclair for his senior bow. He talked about the club legends providing “valuable insights” at regular meetings and, nearly fifty years on, the current crop demonstrated they are capable of producing of excitement, too.