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“You’ll never sing that, champions of Europe,” echoed around the City Ground as Forest fans celebrated a further result 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 still hold dear those memories. Equally, major 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, Yates, and Nikola Milenkovic, boosting their prospects of advancing in the European competition.

Building Steam with Another Consecutive Victory

For Forest, this performance – against a Malmö side that had not played for almost three weeks after finishing in sixth place in their domestic league – marked a third consecutive triumph across every tournament and added to the positive energy gained from last weekend’s success at Liverpool. While this fixture was a reminder of the club's European Cup triumph in name, the encounter itself was devoid of any significant jeopardy or jitters.

This was an occasion filled with nostalgia, an longed-for reunion and the third meeting between the teams since the European Cup final over four decades past.

The home side fully embraced the heritage, honoring the legends of that era by providing them, along with their Malmö counterparts, the red-carpet treatment. Thirteen members of the Swedish club’s team from then were additionally in attendance. Both teams enjoyed a meal together prior to the kick-off. Frank Clark, Colin Barrett and their teammates received a tumultuous welcome when they assembled on the field a quarter of an hour before the start, and a characteristically impressive display was unveiled in the Trent End.

Remembering History

“30th May 1979, John Robertson crossed it in from the left,” read half of a giant banner, in block capitals. While nobody needed reminding of what ensued, the remaining section was revealed as the squads came out from the dressing rooms. “There is Francis,” it continued. Another stunning tifo depicted Clough observing events beside his assistant Peter Taylor on a bench at the Olympiastadion.

Dominance from the Outset

So, the hosts had soaked up those beautiful recollections, but what about the performance on the evening? It was pretty good, too. They were in full command from the moment the forward whistled an effort off target inside two minutes and built a 2-0 lead by the break. Nicolás Domínguez sent an early header wide and then Zach Abbott, on his maiden European start, tried his luck.

It seemed appropriate that Yates, who came to the club aged eight, made the first dent in the Malmö defence captained by their own academy product captain, Pontus Jansson, previously of Leeds and Brentford FC. The home centre-back Milenkovic saw a cross cannon off a opponent and into the path of Yates, who swept home with his right foot from just inside the box to register his maiden strike since last March.

Another Goal Seals Dominance

The scorer was implicated in Forest’s second goal on the verge of half-time, too, his unmarked header saved by Malmö’s goalkeeper Ellborg but the alert forward poised to tap in the loose ball from point-blank range. McAtee, the midfielder given a seldom start and only his second outing since the autumn, was the spark, lofting a delicious ball towards his teammate at the far post.

A minute earlier, Hudson-Odoi’s driven shot was deflected wide off the defender Colin Rösler, son of ex- Manchester City striker Uwe, and an unmarked Milenkovic also earlier had a strong header smartly saved by Ellborg, who was back in place of the ex- Aston Villa goalie Olsen.

Malmö’s Difficulties

This was Malmö’s first match since the domestic league ended on November 9th, and they struggled to equal the home team's energy. The Reds made it 3-0 when the defender applied the finishing touch after his defensive colleague Murillo kept alive a set-piece. Yates had a volley blocked, but the Serbia defender Milenkovic pounced on the rebound.

Forest then went for the jugular, with the winger chipping a effort on to the bar before Ibrahim Sangaré sent an ambitious effort wide from 30 yards. It was one of those nights. The manager, mindful of the upcoming domestic fixture here against Brighton, implemented seven changes from the side that surprised the Reds at Anfield recently, when they also netted three times, though he called on substitutes and further fresh legs midway through the second half.

Hiccup-Free Night for Forest

It proved a flawless night for Forest. Dyche could withdraw the defender with the game already boxed off and subsequently introduced 19-year-old defender Sinclair for his senior bow. He 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 thrills, too.