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“You’ll never sing that, champions of Europe,” echoed through the stadium as Nottingham Forest followers celebrated another result against their Swedish opponents. Much has transpired since Trevor Francis’s decisive header secured the continental trophy back in the year 1979, but the club continue to treasure those memories. Similarly, significant shifts have occurred in the five weeks since the manager assumed control, with the team looking refreshed and securing a convincing win thanks to goals from Kalimuendo, Ryan Yates, and Milenkovic, boosting their hopes of progressing in the Europa League.

Gaining Momentum with Another Straight Victory

For Forest, this performance – against a Swedish side that had not played for almost three weeks after finishing in sixth place in their domestic league – marked a third straight triumph across every tournament and further built on the positive energy generated from the previous week's success at Liverpool. While this match was a re-run of Forest’s European Cup triumph in spirit, the game itself was devoid of any real tension or jitters.

This was an occasion dripping in nostalgia, an eagerly awaited meeting and the third meeting between the sides since the European Cup final over four decades past.

Forest leaned into the heritage, paying tribute to the legends of that era by providing them, along with their Malmö counterparts, the red-carpet treatment. Thirteen members of the Swedish club’s team from then were also present. Both teams enjoyed a meal together prior to the kick-off. 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 characteristically impressive display was shown in the Trent End.

Remembering History

“May 30, 1979, Robertson delivered the ball from the left,” read one part of a giant tifo, in capital letters. While no one required a reminder of what ensued, the rest was unfurled as the squads emerged from the dressing rooms. “And there’s Francis,” it continued. A second stunning display showed Clough watching events beside his right-hand man Taylor on a dugout at the Olympiastadion.

Control from the Outset

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

It felt fitting that Yates, who came to Forest as an eight-year-old, made the first dent in the visitors' defence led by their own academy product captain, Jansson, previously of Leeds United and Brentford FC. The home centre-back Milenkovic saw a delivery cannon off a opponent and into the path of Yates, who finished right-footed from the edge of the box to register his first goal since March.

Second Strike Confirms Dominance

The scorer was involved in Forest’s next goal on the brink of half-time, too, his unmarked header saved by the goalkeeper Melker Ellborg but Kalimuendo on hand to convert the loose ball from point-blank range. James McAtee, the midfielder handed a rare start and just his second outing since the autumn, was the spark, chipping a perfect ball towards Yates at the back post.

A minute earlier, Hudson-Odoi’s low effort was turned wide off the back Colin Rösler, the son of ex- Manchester City forward Uwe, and an free Milenkovic also previously had a strong header instinctively repelled by the keeper, who returned in place of the ex- Villa goalie Olsen.

Malmö’s Difficulties

This was the Swedish side's first match since the Swedish Allsvenskan concluded on November 9th, and they found it hard to match Forest’s energy. Forest extended the lead to three when the defender applied the finishing touch after his centre-back partner Murillo headed back a corner. Yates had a volley stopped, but the Serbia centre-back Milenkovic feasted on the rebound.

The home side then went for the jugular, with Hudson-Odoi dinking a effort on to the bar before Ibrahim Sangaré sent an optimistic shot off target from 30 yards. It was that kind of evenings. The manager, mindful of the upcoming league game here against Brighton & Hove Albion, made multiple alterations from the team that stunned the Reds at Anfield last weekend, when they also scored three times, though he called on substitutes and Igor Jesus midway through the second half.

Smooth Night for Forest

It turned out to be a hiccup-free evening for Nottingham Forest. The coach could withdraw Murillo with the game long since boxed off and subsequently introduced teenage full-back Jimmy Sinclair for his first-team debut. Dyche talked about the Forest old guard providing “valuable insights” at weekly get-togethers and, almost five decades on, the present squad showed they are able of a few nuggets of thrills, as well.