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“Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that,” rang out through the City Ground as Nottingham Forest followers celebrated a further result against their Swedish opponents. A great deal has transpired since Trevor Francis’s winning header secured the continental trophy in the year 1979, but the club still hold dear those glorious moments. Equally, significant shifts have taken place in the five weeks since the manager assumed control, with the team looking refreshed and earning a convincing win thanks to goals from Arnaud Kalimuendo, Yates, and Nikola Milenkovic, enhancing their hopes of advancing in the European competition.

Building Steam with Another 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 domestic league – represented a third straight win across every tournament and further built on the positive energy gained from last weekend’s stunning victory at Anfield. While this fixture was a reminder of the club's European Cup success in spirit, the game itself was free of any real tension or nerves.

It proved to be an occasion filled with nostalgia, an longed-for reunion and the third meeting between the sides since the showpiece event over four decades past.

The home side fully embraced the history, paying tribute to the heroes of 1979 by providing them, along with their visiting opponents, the VIP welcome. 13 members of the Malmö's squad from then were also in attendance. The two clubs enjoyed a meal together prior to the match. Frank Clark, Colin Barrett and their teammates were given a rousing reception when they gathered on the pitch 15 minutes before kick-off, and a characteristically impressive tifo was unveiled in the home stand.

Recalling History

“May 30, 1979, John Robertson crossed it in from the left flank,” displayed half of a giant tifo, in block capitals. While no one needed reminding of what happened next, the remaining section was revealed as the players came out from the dressing rooms. “There is Francis,” it stated. A second stunning tifo depicted Clough watching events beside his assistant Taylor on a bench at the Munich stadium.

Control from the Outset

So, the hosts had drunk in those wonderful memories, but what about the showing on the night? It was strong, as well. They were in complete control from the moment the forward fired an effort off target inside two minutes and established a 2-0 advantage by the break. Domínguez sent an early header off target and then Zach Abbott, on his first European start, tried his luck.

It felt fitting that Yates, who joined the club as an eight-year-old, made the initial breakthrough in the visitors' defence led by their own homegrown skipper, Jansson, previously of Leeds and Brentford. The Forest centre-back Nikola Milenkovic saw a delivery deflect off a opponent and into the path of Yates, who finished right-footed from just inside the penalty area to score his first goal since last March.

Second Goal Seals Dominance

Yates was implicated in Forest’s next goal on the brink of the interval, too, his free header saved by Malmö’s shot-stopper Ellborg but Kalimuendo on hand to tap in the loose ball from point-blank range. McAtee, the midfielder handed a rare start and just his second outing since the autumn, was the spark, chipping a delicious ball towards Yates at the back post.

Just moments before, Callum Hudson-Odoi driven shot was turned aside off the defender Rösler, the son of ex- Man City striker Uwe Rösler, and an free the defender had previously had a strong header smartly repelled by the keeper, who was back in place of the ex- Aston Villa goalkeeper Robin Olsen.

Opponent's Difficulties

This was the Swedish side's first match since the Swedish Allsvenskan ended on November 9th, and they struggled to match Forest’s energy. Forest extended the lead to three when the defender scored after his centre-back partner Murillo kept alive a set-piece. The captain had a shot blocked, but the Serbia defender Milenkovic feasted on the rebound.

The home side then went for the jugular, with the winger chipping a effort on to the crossbar before Sangaré sent an optimistic effort off target from distance. It was one of those nights. Dyche, aware of Sunday’s domestic fixture here against Brighton & Hove Albion, made multiple alterations from the team 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 final period.

Smooth Evening for Forest

It proved a hiccup-free evening for Forest. Dyche could take off Murillo with the game already boxed off and subsequently brought on teenage full-back Jimmy Sinclair for his senior bow. Dyche talked about the Forest old guard supplying “bits of gold” at regular meetings and, almost five decades on, the present squad demonstrated they are capable of a few nuggets of excitement, as well.