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“You’ll never sing that, champions of Europe,” was chanted around the stadium as Nottingham Forest fans celebrated another success against their Swedish opponents. Much has happened since Trevor Francis’s decisive header clinched the European Cup back in the year 1979, but the club continue to cherish those memories. Similarly, major shifts have occurred in the five weeks since Sean Dyche took charge, with Forest looking refreshed and earning a comfortable win courtesy of goals from Kalimuendo, Yates, and Milenkovic, enhancing their prospects of advancing in the Europa League.

Gaining Steam with Third Straight Win

For Nottingham Forest, this performance – against a Swedish side that had been inactive for almost three weeks after ending sixth in their domestic league – represented a third straight win across every tournament and added to the momentum gained from last weekend’s stunning victory at Liverpool. While this match was a reminder of Forest’s European Cup triumph in name, the game itself was devoid of any real jeopardy or jitters.

This was an event dripping in sentiment, an eagerly awaited reunion and the third meeting between the teams since the European Cup final 46 years ago.

The home side fully embraced the history, honoring the heroes of that era by giving them, along with their visiting opponents, the VIP welcome. Thirteen members of the Swedish club’s team from that time were additionally present. Both teams enjoyed a dinner together prior to the kick-off. Forest legends and company received a rousing reception when they gathered on the pitch 15 minutes before the start, and a characteristically impressive tifo was shown in the Trent End.

Remembering History

“May 30, 1979, Robertson delivered the ball from the left,” read one part of a large banner, in capital letters. While nobody needed reminding of what happened next, the rest was revealed as the squads came out from the dressing rooms. “And there’s Francis,” it stated. Another brilliant tifo showed Clough observing proceedings beside his assistant Taylor on a bench at the Munich stadium.

Control from the Outset

So, Forest had soaked up those beautiful recollections, but what about the performance on the evening? It was impressive, as well. They were in full command from the moment the forward whistled an attempt wide inside the opening moments and built a two-goal advantage by the break. Nicolás Domínguez sent an early header off target and then Abbott, on his maiden European start, had a go.

It felt fitting that Ryan Yates, who came to the club as an eight-year-old, made the first dent in the Malmö defence captained by their own homegrown captain, Jansson, previously of Leeds United and Brentford FC. The home defender Nikola Milenkovic saw a delivery cannon off a opponent and into the path of the midfielder, who finished right-footed from the edge of the box to register his maiden strike since last March.

Another Goal Seals Dominance

The scorer was implicated in the team's second goal on the verge of the interval, as well, his free header parried by Malmö’s shot-stopper Ellborg but Kalimuendo on hand to convert the loose ball from point-blank range. McAtee, the playmaker given a seldom start and just his second outing since September, was the spark, lofting a perfect ball towards Yates at the far post.

Just moments before, Callum Hudson-Odoi low effort was turned aside off Malmö back Rösler, son of former Manchester City striker Uwe Rösler, and an unmarked Milenkovic also previously had a strong header smartly saved by Ellborg, who was back in place of the former Villa goalkeeper Olsen.

Malmö’s Difficulties

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

Forest then went for the jugular, with Hudson-Odoi dinking a right-foot shot on to the bar before Ibrahim Sangaré sent an optimistic shot wide from 30 yards. It was that kind of nights. The manager, mindful of Sunday’s league game here against Brighton & Hove Albion, made multiple alterations from the side that stunned Liverpool at their ground recently, when they also netted three goals, though he called on substitutes and further fresh legs midway through the final period.

Hiccup-Free Night for the Team

It turned out to be a flawless night for Nottingham Forest. Dyche could withdraw Murillo with the game already boxed off and later brought on 19-year-old full-back Jimmy Sinclair for his first-team debut. Dyche talked about the club legends supplying “bits of gold” at regular meetings and, nearly fifty years on, the current crop demonstrated they are able of producing of thrills, too.