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“You’ll never sing that, champions of Europe,” echoed around the ground as Nottingham Forest followers reveled in another success against Malmö. A great deal has happened since Trevor Francis’s decisive header clinched the European Cup in the year 1979, but Forest still cherish those memories. Equally, significant changes have occurred in the five weeks since the manager assumed control, with the team appearing reinvigorated and earning a comfortable win thanks to goals from Kalimuendo, Ryan Yates, and Milenkovic, boosting their prospects of progressing in the Europa League.

Gaining Steam with Another Consecutive Victory

For Nottingham Forest, this performance – against a Swedish side that had been inactive for almost three weeks after finishing in sixth place in their home competition – represented a third consecutive win across every tournament and further built on the momentum generated from last weekend’s stunning victory at Liverpool. While this match was a re-run of Forest’s European Cup triumph in name, the game itself was devoid of any significant jeopardy or nerves.

This was an event filled with nostalgia, an eagerly awaited meeting and the third meeting between the sides since the showpiece event over four decades past.

The home side fully embraced the heritage, honoring the heroes of that era by giving them, along with their Malmö counterparts, the red-carpet treatment. Thirteen members of the Swedish club’s squad from that time were additionally in attendance. Both teams enjoyed a meal together before the kick-off. Forest legends and company received a tumultuous welcome when they assembled on the pitch a quarter of an hour before the start, and a characteristically impressive tifo was unveiled in the home stand.

Recalling the Past

“30th May 1979, Robertson crossed it in from the left flank,” displayed half of a giant banner, in capital letters. While no one required a reminder of what happened next, the remaining section was revealed as the players came out from the tunnel. “And there’s Francis,” it stated. Another stunning display depicted Clough watching events beside his assistant Peter Taylor on a dugout at the Olympiastadion.

Control from the Start

So, Forest had drunk in those wonderful recollections, but what about the performance on the night? It was pretty good, too. They were in full command from the moment the forward fired an attempt off target inside the opening moments and established a 2-0 lead by the half-time interval. 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 aged eight, made the initial breakthrough in the visitors' defence captained by their own homegrown skipper, Pontus Jansson, formerly of Leeds and Brentford. The Forest centre-back Nikola Milenkovic saw a cross cannon off a opponent and into the path of Yates, who swept home right-footed from just inside the box to register his maiden strike since last March.

Another Goal Seals Control

Yates was involved in Forest’s second goal on the brink of half-time, too, his free header saved by the shot-stopper Ellborg but Kalimuendo poised to convert the rebound from point-blank range. James McAtee, the playmaker handed a rare start and just his second outing since the autumn, was the catalyst, chipping a perfect ball towards his teammate at the far post.

Just moments before, Callum Hudson-Odoi driven shot was deflected wide off the back Colin Rösler, the son of former Man City forward Uwe, and an unmarked Milenkovic also earlier had a powerful header smartly saved by the keeper, who returned in place of the ex- Villa goalkeeper Robin Olsen.

Opponent's Struggles

This was Malmö’s initial game since the domestic league ended on 9 November, and they found it hard to equal Forest’s energy. The Reds extended the lead to three when the defender scored after his centre-back partner Murillo headed back a set-piece. Yates had a shot blocked, but the Serbia defender Milenkovic pounced 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 that kind of nights. The manager, aware of Sunday’s domestic fixture here against Brighton, made seven changes from the team that surprised Liverpool at their ground last weekend, when they additionally netted three times, though he called on Elliot Anderson, Dan Ndoye and Igor Jesus during the second half.

Smooth Evening for the Team

It proved a hiccup-free night for Forest. The coach could withdraw Murillo with the match long since boxed off and later introduced 19-year-old full-back Jimmy Sinclair for his senior bow. He talked about the Forest old guard providing “bits of gold” at weekly get-togethers and, almost five decades on, the present squad demonstrated they are able of a few nuggets of thrills, as well.