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“You’ll never sing that, champions of Europe,” rang out through the City Ground as Nottingham Forest fans celebrated another success against Malmö. A great deal has transpired since Francis's decisive header clinched the continental trophy back in 1979, but the club continue to hold dear those memories. Similarly, major shifts have taken place in the five weeks since Sean Dyche assumed control, with the team appearing refreshed and earning a comfortable win courtesy of goals from Kalimuendo, Ryan Yates, and Nikola Milenkovic, boosting their prospects of progressing in the European competition.

Gaining Steam with Third Straight Victory

For Forest, this performance – against a Malmö side that had not played for almost three weeks after finishing sixth in their domestic league – marked a third straight win across every tournament and further built on the positive energy generated from last weekend’s stunning victory at Anfield. While this fixture was a re-run of Forest’s historic success in spirit, the encounter itself was devoid of any significant tension or nerves.

It proved to be an event dripping in sentiment, an longed-for meeting and the third meeting between the sides since the European Cup final over four decades past.

Forest fully embraced the heritage, honoring the heroes of that era by providing them, along with their Malmö counterparts, the VIP welcome. Thirteen members of the Swedish club’s team from then were also in attendance. The two clubs enjoyed a meal together prior to the kick-off. Forest legends and company were given a tumultuous welcome when they assembled on the field a quarter of an hour before the start, and a typically impressive display was unveiled in the home stand.

Remembering History

“30th May 1979, John Robertson crossed it in from the left flank,” read half of a large banner, in capital letters. While nobody needed reminding of what happened next, the remaining section was unfurled as the players emerged from the dressing rooms. “And there’s Francis,” it continued. A second brilliant display showed Clough observing events beside his right-hand man Taylor on a bench at the Munich stadium.

Control from the Outset

So, the hosts had drunk in those beautiful recollections, but what about the performance on the night? It was pretty good, as well. They were in complete control from the moment the forward fired an effort wide inside the opening moments and established a two-goal advantage by the half-time interval. Nicolás Domínguez sent an early header wide and then Zach Abbott, on his maiden European start, tried his luck.

It felt fitting that Ryan Yates, who came to the club as an eight-year-old, made the initial breakthrough in the visitors' defense led by their own homegrown captain, Jansson, previously of Leeds and Brentford. The home centre-back Nikola Milenkovic saw a delivery deflect off a opponent and into the pathway of the midfielder, who finished right-footed from the edge of the box to register his first goal since last March.

Another Goal Seals Control

Yates was involved in the team's next goal on the brink of the interval, as well, his free header parried by the goalkeeper Melker Ellborg but the alert forward on hand to convert the rebound from close range. James McAtee, the playmaker handed a seldom start and just his second appearance since September, was the catalyst, lofting a delicious ball towards Yates at the back post.

Just moments before, Callum Hudson-Odoi driven shot was turned aside off the defender Rösler, the son of ex- Manchester City striker Uwe Rösler, and an unmarked Milenkovic had previously had a powerful header smartly repelled by the keeper, who was back in place of the ex- Villa goalkeeper Olsen.

Opponent's Struggles

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

The home side then went for the jugular, with the winger chipping a right-foot shot on to the bar before Ibrahim Sangaré sent an ambitious effort off target from distance. It was that kind of evenings. Dyche, mindful of Sunday’s domestic fixture here against Brighton & Hove Albion, implemented multiple alterations from the team that surprised Liverpool at their ground recently, when they also netted three times, though he introduced Elliot Anderson, Dan Ndoye and Igor Jesus midway through the final period.

Smooth Night for Forest

It proved a hiccup-free night for Forest. Dyche could take off Murillo with the game long since sewn up and subsequently brought on 19-year-old defender Jimmy Sinclair for his first-team debut. He discussed the Forest old guard supplying “valuable insights” at weekly get-togethers and, nearly fifty years on, the current crop showed they are able of producing of thrills, as well.