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“You’ll never sing that, champions of Europe,” was chanted through the City Ground as Nottingham Forest followers celebrated a further success against their Swedish opponents. Much has occurred since Trevor Francis’s decisive header clinched the European Cup in the year 1979, but the club continue to hold dear those glorious moments. Similarly, major changes have taken place in the five weeks since the manager took charge, with the team appearing reinvigorated and securing a convincing win courtesy of goals from Arnaud Kalimuendo, Yates, and Milenkovic, boosting their prospects of advancing in the European competition.

Gaining Steam with Third Straight Win

For Nottingham Forest, this result – against a Malmö side that had been inactive for almost three weeks after ending sixth in their domestic league – marked a third straight triumph across every tournament and added to the positive energy gained from the previous week's success at Liverpool. While this fixture was a re-run of the club's historic triumph in spirit, the game itself was devoid of any significant jeopardy or nerves.

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

Forest fully embraced the heritage, honoring the heroes of that era by providing them, along with their visiting opponents, the red-carpet treatment. 13 members of the Malmö's team from that time were additionally present. Both teams enjoyed a dinner together before the match. Forest legends and company were given a rousing reception when they assembled on the field a quarter of an hour before the start, and a typically impressive display was shown in the Trent End.

Recalling History

“30th May 1979, John Robertson crossed it in from the left,” displayed one part of a giant tifo, in block capitals. While no one required a reminder of what happened next, the rest was revealed as the squads came out from the tunnel. “And there’s Francis,” it stated. Another stunning tifo depicted Brian Clough observing proceedings beside his right-hand man Taylor on a bench at the Olympiastadion.

Dominance from the Outset

So, the hosts had soaked up those wonderful memories, but what about the showing on the night? It was strong, as well. They were in complete control from the moment the forward fired an attempt wide inside the opening moments and built a two-goal lead by the half-time interval. Domínguez sent an early header wide and then Zach Abbott, on his first European start, tried his luck.

It seemed appropriate that Ryan Yates, who came to the club as an eight-year-old, made the first dent in the visitors' defence captained by their own homegrown captain, Jansson, previously of Leeds and Brentford. The home centre-back Nikola Milenkovic saw a delivery deflect off a defender and into the path of the midfielder, who finished right-footed from just inside the penalty area to score his first goal since last March.

Another Strike Seals Control

The scorer was involved in the team's next goal on the verge of half-time, too, his unmarked header parried by Malmö’s shot-stopper Melker Ellborg but the alert forward on hand to tap in the rebound from point-blank range. McAtee, the playmaker handed a rare start and just his second outing since the autumn, was the spark, lofting a delicious ball towards his teammate at the back post.

A minute earlier, Callum Hudson-Odoi driven shot was deflected wide off the defender Rösler, son of former Manchester City striker Uwe Rösler, and an unmarked the defender had previously had a powerful header instinctively saved by Ellborg, who was back in place of the ex- Aston Villa goalie Robin Olsen.

Malmö’s Struggles

This was Malmö’s initial game since the domestic league ended on 9 November, and they found it hard to match Forest’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 volley blocked, but the Serbia defender Milenkovic pounced on the leftovers.

Forest then pushed for more, with the winger chipping a effort on to the crossbar before Sangaré sent an ambitious effort off target from 30 yards. It was that kind of evenings. The manager, aware of Sunday’s domestic fixture here against Brighton & Hove Albion, made multiple alterations from the side that surprised the Reds at their ground last weekend, when they also netted three goals, though he introduced Elliot Anderson, Dan Ndoye and Igor Jesus midway through the second half.

Hiccup-Free Evening for Forest

It turned out to be a hiccup-free night for Forest. Dyche could withdraw Murillo with the game already sewn up and subsequently introduced 19-year-old defender Sinclair for his first-team debut. He talked about the Forest old guard supplying “valuable insights” at weekly get-togethers and, almost five decades on, the present squad demonstrated they are capable of a few nuggets of thrills, as well.