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“Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that,” echoed around the City Ground as Nottingham Forest supporters reveled in a further result against their Swedish opponents. Much has happened since Trevor Francis’s decisive header clinched the continental trophy back in the year 1979, but the club still cherish those memories. Similarly, significant shifts have occurred in the five weeks since the manager took charge, with the team looking refreshed and earning a comfortable win courtesy of goals from Arnaud Kalimuendo, Ryan Yates, and Milenkovic, boosting their hopes of advancing in the European competition.

Building Momentum with Third Straight Win

For Forest, this result – against a Malmö side that had not played for nearly a month after finishing sixth in their home competition – represented a third straight win across all competitions and added to the positive energy gained from last weekend’s success at Anfield. While this fixture was a re-run of the club's European Cup success in spirit, the encounter itself was devoid of any real jeopardy or nerves.

This was an occasion filled with sentiment, an eagerly awaited meeting and the third competitive meeting between the teams since the showpiece event over four decades past.

The home side fully embraced the heritage, paying tribute to the legends of that era by giving them, along with their visiting counterparts, the VIP welcome. Thirteen members of the Swedish club’s team from then were additionally present. The two clubs enjoyed a meal together prior to the match. Forest legends and their teammates received a rousing welcome when they gathered on the pitch a quarter of an hour before kick-off, and a characteristically superb display was shown in the home stand.

Recalling History

“May 30, 1979, John Robertson delivered the ball from the left flank,” read one part of a giant tifo, in capital letters. While nobody required a reminder of what ensued, the rest was unfurled as the squads came out from the dressing rooms. “There is Francis,” it stated. A second brilliant tifo depicted Clough watching events beside his right-hand man Peter Taylor on a dugout at the Olympiastadion.

Control from the Start

So, Forest had soaked up those wonderful recollections, but what about the showing on the evening? It was strong, as well. They were in complete control from the moment Kalimuendo whistled an attempt wide inside the opening moments and established a 2-0 advantage by the half-time interval. Nicolás Domínguez sent an early header off target and then Zach Abbott, on his maiden European start, tried his luck.

It seemed appropriate that Ryan Yates, who joined the club aged eight, made the first dent in the visitors' defence led by their own homegrown captain, Jansson, formerly of Leeds United and Brentford. The Forest centre-back Milenkovic saw a delivery deflect off a defender and into the pathway of Yates, who finished right-footed from the edge of the penalty area to register his maiden strike since last March.

Second Goal Seals Dominance

Yates was implicated in the team's next goal on the verge of half-time, as well, his free header saved by the goalkeeper Ellborg but the alert forward poised to convert the loose ball from close range. McAtee, the playmaker given a seldom start and just his second appearance since September, was the spark, chipping a perfect ball towards Yates at the far post.

A minute earlier, Hudson-Odoi’s low effort was deflected wide off Malmö defender Colin Rösler, son of former Man City striker Uwe Rösler, and an unmarked Milenkovic had earlier had a strong header instinctively repelled by Ellborg, who returned in place of the ex- Aston Villa goalie Robin Olsen.

Opponent's Difficulties

This was the Swedish side's first match since the Swedish Allsvenskan ended on 9 November, and they found it hard to match the home team's intensity. Forest extended the lead to three when the defender scored after his defensive colleague Murillo kept alive a corner. Yates had a volley blocked, but the Serbia defender Milenkovic pounced on the leftovers.

The home side then pushed for more, with the winger chipping a right-foot shot on to the crossbar before Sangaré sent an ambitious effort wide from 30 yards. It was one of those nights. The manager, mindful of Sunday’s domestic fixture here against Brighton & Hove Albion, implemented seven changes from the team that surprised the Reds at their ground last weekend, when they also netted three times, though he called on substitutes and further fresh legs midway through the final period.

Smooth Night for Forest

It proved a flawless night for Nottingham Forest. Dyche could take off the defender with the game already boxed off and subsequently brought on teenage defender Sinclair for his first-team debut. Dyche discussed the Forest old guard providing “valuable insights” at regular meetings and, nearly fifty years on, the present squad demonstrated they are able of a few nuggets of thrills, as well.