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“Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that,” rang out around the City Ground as Nottingham Forest fans celebrated a further result against Malmö. Much has transpired since Francis's winning header secured the European Cup in 1979, but the club continue to cherish those glorious moments. Similarly, significant changes have taken place in the five weeks since Sean Dyche took charge, with Forest appearing reinvigorated and securing a convincing victory courtesy of goals from Arnaud Kalimuendo, Yates, and Nikola Milenkovic, enhancing their prospects of advancing in the European competition.

Building Steam with Third Consecutive Victory

For Nottingham Forest, this performance – against a Malmö side that had been inactive for nearly a month after finishing sixth in their domestic league – represented a third straight win across every tournament and further built on the momentum generated from the previous week's success at Liverpool. While this fixture was a re-run of Forest’s European Cup success in spirit, the encounter itself was devoid of any significant jeopardy or nerves.

It proved to be an occasion dripping in nostalgia, an longed-for reunion and the third meeting between the sides since the European Cup final 46 years ago.

Forest fully embraced the heritage, paying tribute to the heroes of that era by giving them, along with their Malmö opponents, the VIP welcome. Thirteen members of the Malmö's team from that time were additionally present. The two clubs enjoyed a meal together prior to the kick-off. Forest legends and their teammates received a tumultuous reception when they assembled on the pitch 15 minutes before kick-off, and a characteristically impressive tifo was unveiled in the home stand.

Recalling History

“May 30, 1979, Robertson crossed it in from the left,” read half of a giant tifo, in capital letters. While no one needed reminding of what ensued, the remaining section was unfurled as the squads emerged from the tunnel. “And there’s Francis,” it continued. Another brilliant tifo depicted Brian Clough watching events beside his assistant Taylor on a bench at the Munich stadium.

Dominance from the Outset

So, Forest had drunk in those wonderful memories, but what about the showing on the evening? It was strong, as well. They were in complete control from the moment Kalimuendo 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 Abbott, on his first European start, tried his luck.

It seemed appropriate that Yates, who joined the club as an eight-year-old, made the initial breakthrough in the visitors' defense captained by their own homegrown captain, Pontus Jansson, formerly of Leeds United and Brentford FC. The Forest defender Nikola Milenkovic saw a delivery cannon off a opponent and into the path of Yates, who swept home with his right foot from the edge of the penalty area to register his maiden strike since March.

Another Goal Confirms Control

The scorer was implicated in Forest’s next goal on the brink of the interval, too, his free header saved by Malmö’s goalkeeper Melker Ellborg but the alert forward on hand to convert the rebound from point-blank range. James McAtee, the playmaker given a seldom start and only his second appearance since September, was the spark, lofting a perfect ball towards his teammate at the back post.

A minute earlier, Hudson-Odoi’s low effort was turned wide off Malmö defender Colin Rösler, son of former Man City striker Uwe, and an unmarked Milenkovic had earlier had a powerful header smartly saved by the keeper, who returned in place of the ex- Villa goalkeeper Robin Olsen.

Malmö’s Struggles

This was Malmö’s first match since the Swedish Allsvenskan ended on November 9th, and they struggled to equal Forest’s intensity. The Reds made it 3-0 when the defender applied the finishing touch after his defensive colleague Murillo kept alive a corner. The captain had a volley stopped, but the Serbia centre-back Milenkovic pounced on the rebound.

Forest then went for the jugular, with the winger dinking a right-foot shot on to the crossbar before Ibrahim Sangaré sent an ambitious shot off target from distance. It was that kind of nights. Dyche, mindful of the upcoming league game here against Brighton & Hove Albion, implemented seven changes from the side that surprised the Reds at their ground last weekend, when they also scored three goals, though he called on substitutes and further fresh legs during the final period.

Hiccup-Free Evening for the Team

It turned out to be a hiccup-free night for Forest. Dyche could take off Murillo with the match already sewn up and later brought on teenage defender Jimmy Sinclair for his senior bow. Dyche discussed the club legends supplying “valuable insights” at regular meetings and, nearly fifty years on, the current crop showed they are capable of producing of thrills, as well.