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“Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that,” was chanted through the City Ground as Forest followers celebrated a further success against Malmö. Much has transpired since Francis's decisive header clinched the European Cup back in 1979, but Forest still treasure those memories. Similarly, major changes have taken place in the weeks since the manager assumed control, with Forest looking refreshed and earning a comfortable victory courtesy of goals from Kalimuendo, Ryan Yates, and Nikola Milenkovic, boosting their prospects of progressing in the Europa League.

Building Momentum with Third Straight Win

For Nottingham Forest, this result – against a Malmö side that had been inactive for nearly a month after finishing in sixth place in their domestic league – marked a third straight triumph across all competitions and added to the momentum gained from the previous week's success at Liverpool. While this match was a reminder of Forest’s historic success in spirit, the encounter itself was free of any significant jeopardy or nerves.

It proved to be an occasion filled with nostalgia, an longed-for reunion and the third competitive meeting between the sides since the showpiece event 46 years ago.

Forest leaned into the heritage, paying tribute to the heroes of 1979 by giving them, along with their Malmö counterparts, the red-carpet treatment. Thirteen members of the Malmö's team from then were additionally in attendance. Both teams enjoyed a dinner together before the kick-off. Frank Clark, Colin Barrett and their teammates were given a rousing welcome when they assembled on the pitch 15 minutes before kick-off, and a characteristically superb display was shown in the Trent End.

Recalling History

“May 30, 1979, Robertson delivered the ball from the left flank,” read one part of a large banner, in block capitals. While nobody needed reminding of what ensued, the remaining section was unfurled as the squads emerged from the tunnel. “There is Francis,” it stated. Another brilliant tifo showed Clough observing proceedings beside his assistant Peter Taylor on a bench at the Olympiastadion.

Control from the Start

So, Forest had drunk in those wonderful recollections, but what about the performance on the night? It was pretty good, as well. They were in complete control from the moment Kalimuendo whistled an effort wide inside two minutes and established a two-goal lead by the half-time interval. Nicolás Domínguez sent an early header wide and then Abbott, on his maiden European start, tried his luck.

It felt fitting that Yates, who came to the club aged eight, made the initial breakthrough in the visitors' defense captained by their own academy product skipper, Jansson, previously of Leeds United and Brentford. The home defender Nikola Milenkovic saw a delivery deflect off a defender and into the pathway of Yates, who finished right-footed from the edge of the penalty area to score his maiden strike since last March.

Second Strike Seals Control

Yates was involved in the team's next goal on the brink of half-time, too, his free header parried by the shot-stopper Ellborg but the alert forward poised to tap in the rebound from point-blank range. James McAtee, the playmaker handed a rare start and just his second outing since September, was the spark, chipping a perfect ball towards his teammate at the back post.

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

Malmö’s Struggles

This was Malmö’s initial game since the domestic league ended on 9 November, and they struggled to match Forest’s energy. Forest made it 3-0 when Milenkovic applied the finishing touch after his defensive colleague Murillo headed back a set-piece. The captain had a shot stopped, but the Serbia defender Milenkovic pounced on the leftovers.

Forest then went for the jugular, with Hudson-Odoi chipping a right-foot shot on to the crossbar before Sangaré sent an optimistic shot off target from distance. It was one of those evenings. Dyche, mindful of Sunday’s league game here against Brighton & Hove Albion, made multiple alterations from the side that surprised the Reds at their ground last weekend, when they also scored three goals, though he called on Elliot Anderson, Dan Ndoye and further fresh legs midway through the final period.

Smooth Evening for the Team

It turned out to be a flawless evening for Nottingham Forest. The coach could withdraw the defender with the match already boxed off and subsequently introduced 19-year-old full-back Sinclair for his first-team debut. Dyche talked about the Forest old guard supplying “bits of gold” at weekly get-togethers and, almost five decades on, the current crop demonstrated they are capable of a few nuggets of excitement, too.