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“Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that,” was chanted around the ground as Nottingham Forest followers celebrated a further success against Malmö. A great deal has happened since Trevor Francis’s decisive header clinched the European Cup back in 1979, but the club continue to hold dear those glorious moments. Similarly, significant shifts have occurred in the five weeks since Sean Dyche assumed control, with the team looking refreshed and earning a convincing win thanks to goals from Arnaud Kalimuendo, Ryan Yates, and Milenkovic, boosting their prospects of progressing in the Europa League.

Building Steam with Third Straight Win

For Nottingham Forest, this result – against a Malmö side that had not played for nearly a month after ending in sixth place in their home competition – represented a third straight win across every tournament and added to the momentum generated from the previous week's stunning victory at Anfield. While this fixture was a re-run of the club's historic success in spirit, the game itself was devoid of any significant jeopardy or jitters.

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

Forest leaned into the history, paying tribute to the legends of 1979 by giving them, along with their Malmö opponents, the VIP welcome. Thirteen members of the Swedish club’s squad from that time were also present. The two clubs enjoyed a meal together prior to the match. Frank Clark, Colin Barrett and their teammates received a rousing welcome when they assembled on the field 15 minutes before the start, and a characteristically impressive tifo was shown in the Trent End.

Remembering History

“30th May 1979, Robertson delivered the ball from the left,” displayed half of a large banner, in capital letters. While no one required a reminder of what ensued, the remaining section was revealed as the players came out from the tunnel. “And there’s Francis,” it stated. A second stunning display showed Brian Clough watching events beside his assistant Taylor on a bench at the Munich stadium.

Control from the Outset

So, Forest had drunk in those wonderful recollections, but what about the showing on the evening? It was pretty good, as well. They were in full command from the moment Kalimuendo whistled an attempt off target inside two minutes and established a two-goal lead by the break. Nicolás Domínguez sent an early header off target 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' defense led by their own academy product captain, Pontus Jansson, previously of Leeds and Brentford FC. The Forest centre-back Milenkovic saw a cross cannon off a defender and into the path of the midfielder, who finished with his right foot from the edge of the box to register his maiden strike since last March.

Another Strike Seals Dominance

Yates was involved in Forest’s second goal on the brink of half-time, as well, his free header saved by the shot-stopper Melker Ellborg but the alert forward poised to tap in the loose ball from point-blank range. James McAtee, the playmaker given a rare start and just his second outing since September, was the catalyst, lofting a perfect ball towards his teammate at the far post.

A minute earlier, Hudson-Odoi’s low effort was deflected aside off the back Colin Rösler, son of former Man City forward Uwe, and an free Milenkovic had earlier had a powerful header instinctively saved by Ellborg, who returned in place of the former Aston Villa goalkeeper Olsen.

Opponent's Difficulties

This was the Swedish side's first match since the domestic league ended on 9 November, and they found it hard to equal Forest’s energy. The Reds made it 3-0 when the defender scored after his centre-back partner Murillo kept alive a set-piece. The captain had a shot blocked, but the Serbia defender Milenkovic pounced on the leftovers.

The home side then pushed for more, with the winger dinking a right-foot shot on to the crossbar before Sangaré sent an optimistic effort off target from distance. It was that kind of nights. Dyche, aware of Sunday’s domestic fixture here against Brighton, made multiple alterations from the team that surprised Liverpool at their ground recently, when they also scored three times, though he called on substitutes and further fresh legs midway through the final period.

Smooth Evening for the Team

It proved a hiccup-free evening for Nottingham Forest. The coach could take off the defender with the game already boxed off and later introduced teenage defender Jimmy Sinclair for his senior bow. Dyche discussed the club legends supplying “bits of gold” at weekly get-togethers and, almost five decades on, the current crop demonstrated they are able of a few nuggets of thrills, as well.