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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 result against Malmö. A great deal has occurred since Trevor Francis’s winning header secured the European Cup in the year 1979, but Forest still hold dear those glorious moments. Equally, major shifts have occurred in the weeks since the manager assumed control, with the team looking refreshed and securing a convincing win courtesy of goals from Arnaud Kalimuendo, Ryan Yates, and Milenkovic, boosting their hopes of advancing in the Europa League.

Gaining Steam with Third Consecutive Victory

For Nottingham Forest, this result – against a Swedish side that had not played for almost three weeks after ending in sixth place in their home competition – marked a third straight triumph across every tournament and added to the momentum generated from last weekend’s stunning victory at Liverpool. While this fixture was a reminder of the club's historic success in name, the game itself was free of any significant tension or nerves.

It proved to be an event filled with sentiment, an eagerly awaited reunion and the third competitive meeting between the sides since the showpiece event over four decades past.

Forest fully embraced the history, honoring the heroes of 1979 by giving them, along with their visiting counterparts, the red-carpet treatment. Thirteen members of the Swedish club’s team from that time were also present. The two clubs shared a meal together before the kick-off. Forest legends and company were given a tumultuous welcome when they assembled on the pitch 15 minutes before the start, and a characteristically impressive tifo was unveiled in the Trent End.

Recalling History

“30th May 1979, Robertson delivered the ball from the left flank,” displayed half of a giant tifo, in block capitals. While no one needed reminding of what ensued, the remaining section was unfurled as the players emerged from the tunnel. “And there’s Francis,” it continued. A second stunning display showed Brian Clough observing events beside his assistant Taylor on a dugout at the Munich stadium.

Dominance from the Start

So, Forest had soaked up those beautiful recollections, but what about the showing on the evening? It was pretty good, as well. They were in complete control from the moment the forward whistled an attempt wide inside the opening moments and established a 2-0 advantage by the break. Domínguez sent an early header wide and then Abbott, on his maiden European start, tried his luck.

It seemed appropriate that Yates, who joined Forest aged eight, made the initial breakthrough in the visitors' defence captained by their own academy product captain, Pontus Jansson, previously of Leeds United and Brentford. The home centre-back Milenkovic saw a delivery deflect off a opponent and into the pathway of the midfielder, who swept home with his right foot from just inside the box to register his maiden strike since March.

Second Strike Seals Control

The scorer was involved in the team's second goal on the verge of half-time, too, his unmarked header saved by Malmö’s shot-stopper Ellborg but Kalimuendo poised to tap in the loose ball from point-blank range. James McAtee, the playmaker handed a rare start and only his second outing since the autumn, was the catalyst, chipping a perfect ball towards his teammate at the far post.

A minute earlier, Callum Hudson-Odoi low effort was deflected aside off Malmö back Rösler, son of former Manchester City striker Uwe Rösler, and an free Milenkovic had previously had a strong header smartly repelled by the keeper, who returned in place of the former Villa goalkeeper Robin Olsen.

Malmö’s Difficulties

This was the Swedish side's first match since the domestic league ended on 9 November, and they found it hard to match the home team's energy. Forest made it 3-0 when the defender scored after his defensive colleague Murillo headed back a corner. The captain had a volley stopped, but the Serbian centre-back Milenkovic feasted on the leftovers.

Forest then went for the jugular, with the winger dinking a effort on to the crossbar before Ibrahim Sangaré sent an optimistic effort off target from 30 yards. It was one of those nights. The manager, aware of the upcoming league game here against Brighton, made seven changes from the side that stunned the Reds at their ground last weekend, when they additionally scored three times, though he introduced substitutes and further fresh legs during the second half.

Hiccup-Free Evening for the Team

It proved a flawless evening for Nottingham Forest. Dyche could take off the defender with the game already boxed off and subsequently introduced 19-year-old defender Jimmy Sinclair for his senior bow. He talked about the club legends supplying “bits of gold” at regular meetings and, almost five decades on, the current crop demonstrated they are able of a few nuggets of excitement, too.