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“Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that,” echoed around the City Ground as Nottingham Forest followers celebrated a further success against their Swedish opponents. Much has happened since Trevor Francis’s winning header secured the continental trophy in 1979, but the club still cherish those glorious moments. Equally, major changes have taken place in the weeks since the manager took charge, with Forest looking reinvigorated and securing a convincing victory courtesy of goals from Arnaud Kalimuendo, Ryan Yates, and Nikola Milenkovic, enhancing their prospects of progressing in the Europa League.

Gaining Steam with Third Straight Win

For Forest, this result – against a Swedish side that had not played for almost three weeks after ending in sixth place in their home competition – represented a third straight win across all competitions and further built on the momentum gained from the previous week's success at Liverpool. While this fixture was a re-run of the club's European Cup success in name, the encounter itself was free of any significant tension or jitters.

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

Forest fully embraced the history, paying tribute to the legends of that era by giving them, along with their visiting opponents, the red-carpet treatment. 13 members of the Swedish club’s team from then were additionally present. The two clubs enjoyed a dinner together before the match. Forest legends and company were given a rousing reception when they assembled on the pitch a quarter of an hour before kick-off, and a typically impressive display was unveiled in the home stand.

Remembering History

“May 30, 1979, Robertson crossed it in from the left flank,” displayed one part of a large tifo, in capital letters. While no one required a reminder of what happened next, the remaining section was revealed as the squads came out from the tunnel. “And there’s Francis,” it stated. A second brilliant display showed Brian Clough watching proceedings beside his assistant Taylor on a bench at the Olympiastadion.

Control from the Outset

So, Forest had drunk in those beautiful recollections, but what about the showing on the night? It was impressive, as well. They were in complete control from the moment the forward whistled an attempt wide inside two minutes and built a two-goal advantage by the break. Domínguez sent an early header off target 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 visitors' defense led by their own academy product skipper, Jansson, formerly of Leeds United and Brentford. The Forest defender Nikola Milenkovic saw a cross cannon off a defender and into the pathway of the midfielder, who finished right-footed from just inside the box to score his maiden strike since last March.

Second Goal Seals Control

Yates was implicated in Forest’s second goal on the verge of the interval, as well, his unmarked header saved by the goalkeeper Melker Ellborg but Kalimuendo on hand to tap in the rebound from close range. James McAtee, the midfielder given a rare start and just his second outing since the autumn, was the catalyst, lofting a perfect ball towards Yates at the back post.

Just moments before, Hudson-Odoi’s low effort was turned aside off the defender Colin Rösler, son of ex- Man City striker Uwe Rösler, and an free the defender also earlier had a strong header smartly saved by Ellborg, who was back in place of the ex- Aston Villa goalkeeper Olsen.

Malmö’s Struggles

This was the Swedish side's first match since the Swedish Allsvenskan concluded on November 9th, and they struggled to equal the home team's intensity. The Reds extended the lead to three when the defender applied the finishing touch after his defensive colleague Murillo kept alive a set-piece. The captain had a shot stopped, but the Serbian centre-back Milenkovic feasted on the rebound.

Forest then pushed for more, with the winger chipping a effort on to the crossbar before Ibrahim Sangaré sent an ambitious effort wide from distance. It was one of those nights. Dyche, mindful of the upcoming league game here against Brighton & Hove Albion, made seven changes from the side that stunned Liverpool at Anfield last weekend, when they also scored three times, though he introduced substitutes and Igor Jesus midway through the final period.

Hiccup-Free Night for Forest

It turned out to be a flawless evening for Forest. Dyche could withdraw the defender with the match long since sewn up and later brought on 19-year-old full-back Sinclair for his first-team debut. Dyche discussed the club legends supplying “bits of gold” at regular meetings and, nearly fifty years on, the current crop demonstrated they are able of a few nuggets of excitement, as well.