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“Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that,” rang out through the City Ground as Nottingham Forest fans celebrated another success against their Swedish opponents. A great deal has happened since Trevor Francis’s winning header clinched the European Cup back in 1979, but Forest still hold dear those memories. Similarly, major changes have taken place in the five weeks since the manager assumed control, with Forest appearing reinvigorated and securing a comfortable win thanks to goals from Arnaud Kalimuendo, Yates, and Nikola Milenkovic, boosting their hopes of progressing in the European competition.

Gaining Momentum with Third Straight Win

For Nottingham Forest, this result – against a Swedish side that had been inactive for almost three weeks after finishing in sixth place in their domestic league – represented a third straight win across all competitions and further built on the momentum generated from last weekend’s success at Anfield. While this match was a re-run of the club's historic success in name, 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 teams since the European Cup final 46 years ago.

Forest fully embraced the heritage, honoring the legends of that era by giving them, along with their visiting counterparts, the red-carpet treatment. 13 members of the Malmö's team from then were also present. Both teams enjoyed a meal together before the match. Frank Clark, Colin Barrett and their teammates received a rousing reception when they assembled on the field 15 minutes before the start, and a characteristically impressive tifo was unveiled in the home stand.

Recalling History

“30th May 1979, John Robertson crossed it in from the left,” read half of a giant tifo, in capital letters. While nobody required a reminder of what happened next, the rest was unfurled as the players came out from the dressing rooms. “There is Francis,” it continued. Another stunning display showed Brian Clough observing proceedings beside his right-hand man Peter Taylor on a dugout at the Munich stadium.

Control from the Start

So, the hosts had drunk in those wonderful memories, but what about the performance on the night? It was pretty good, as well. They were in complete control from the moment Kalimuendo fired an effort off target inside the opening moments and built a 2-0 lead by the half-time interval. Domínguez sent an early header wide and then Abbott, on his maiden European start, tried his luck.

It felt fitting that Yates, who joined the club aged eight, made the initial breakthrough in the Malmö defence captained by their own academy product skipper, Pontus Jansson, formerly of Leeds United and Brentford FC. The home defender Nikola Milenkovic saw a cross cannon off a defender and into the pathway of the midfielder, who swept home right-footed from just inside the penalty area to score his maiden strike since March.

Second Strike Confirms Control

Yates was implicated in Forest’s second goal on the brink of half-time, as well, his free header saved by the shot-stopper Melker Ellborg but Kalimuendo on hand to tap in the rebound from close range. James McAtee, the playmaker handed a rare start and just his second outing since September, was the spark, lofting a perfect ball towards Yates at the far post.

A minute earlier, Callum Hudson-Odoi driven shot was turned aside off the back Colin Rösler, son of ex- Manchester City striker Uwe Rösler, and an unmarked the defender also previously had a strong header instinctively repelled by the keeper, who returned in place of the ex- Aston Villa goalkeeper Olsen.

Opponent's Struggles

This was the Swedish side's initial game since the Swedish Allsvenskan ended on 9 November, and they struggled to equal Forest’s intensity. Forest made it 3-0 when the defender scored after his centre-back partner Murillo headed back a set-piece. Yates had a shot blocked, but the Serbian defender Milenkovic pounced on the leftovers.

The home side then pushed for more, with the winger dinking a right-foot shot on to the bar before Ibrahim Sangaré sent an optimistic effort wide from 30 yards. It was that kind of evenings. The manager, mindful of the upcoming domestic fixture here against Brighton, implemented seven changes from the team that surprised Liverpool at Anfield recently, when they also scored three times, though he introduced Elliot Anderson, Dan Ndoye and Igor Jesus midway through the final period.

Hiccup-Free Night for the Team

It proved a hiccup-free evening for Nottingham Forest. Dyche could take off the defender with the match already boxed off and later introduced teenage full-back Sinclair for his senior bow. He talked about the club legends supplying “valuable insights” at regular meetings and, almost five decades on, the present squad demonstrated they are capable of a few nuggets of excitement, as well.