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“Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that,” was chanted around the stadium as Nottingham Forest followers celebrated another success against Malmö. A great deal has occurred since Trevor Francis’s winning header clinched the continental trophy in 1979, but the club continue to treasure those glorious moments. Similarly, significant changes have taken place in the weeks since the manager took charge, with the team appearing reinvigorated and securing a comfortable win thanks to goals from Arnaud Kalimuendo, Yates, and Nikola Milenkovic, boosting their hopes of advancing in the Europa League.

Gaining Steam with Third Consecutive Victory

For Forest, this result – against a Malmö 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 added to the momentum generated from the previous week's success at Anfield. While this match was a re-run of the club's historic triumph in name, the game itself was devoid of any real tension or nerves.

It proved to be an event dripping in sentiment, an eagerly awaited reunion and the third clash between the teams since the showpiece event 46 years ago.

The home side fully embraced the heritage, paying tribute to the heroes of 1979 by providing them, along with their visiting opponents, the red-carpet treatment. Thirteen members of the Malmö's squad from then were additionally present. The two clubs enjoyed a dinner together prior to the kick-off. Forest legends and company were given a tumultuous reception when they gathered on the field a quarter of an hour before the start, and a characteristically superb tifo was unveiled in the Trent End.

Recalling History

“May 30, 1979, John Robertson delivered the ball from the left flank,” displayed half of a large tifo, in block capitals. While no one required a reminder of what ensued, the rest was unfurled as the players emerged from the dressing rooms. “And there’s Francis,” it continued. A second stunning tifo showed Clough observing proceedings beside his assistant Peter Taylor on a bench at the Olympiastadion.

Control from the Start

So, Forest had soaked up those wonderful recollections, but what about the performance on the evening? It was strong, too. They were in complete control from the moment Kalimuendo fired an attempt wide inside the opening moments and built a two-goal advantage by the half-time interval. Domínguez sent an early header wide and then Zach Abbott, on his first European start, tried his luck.

It seemed appropriate that Ryan Yates, who joined the club as an eight-year-old, made the initial breakthrough in the Malmö defence led by their own homegrown captain, Pontus Jansson, previously of Leeds United and Brentford FC. The home centre-back Nikola Milenkovic saw a cross cannon off a opponent and into the path of the midfielder, who swept home right-footed from the edge of the penalty area to register his maiden strike since last March.

Another Goal Seals Dominance

The scorer was implicated in Forest’s next goal on the brink of the interval, too, his unmarked header saved by Malmö’s shot-stopper Ellborg but Kalimuendo poised to tap in the rebound from close range. McAtee, the midfielder handed a seldom start and only his second appearance since the autumn, was the catalyst, lofting a delicious ball towards his teammate at the far post.

A minute earlier, Callum Hudson-Odoi low effort was deflected aside off Malmö back Rösler, the son of ex- Man City striker Uwe Rösler, and an unmarked Milenkovic also earlier had a strong header smartly saved by Ellborg, who was back in place of the former Villa goalie Robin Olsen.

Malmö’s Struggles

This was Malmö’s first match since the domestic league ended on 9 November, and they found it hard to equal the home team's intensity. Forest made it 3-0 when Milenkovic scored after his centre-back partner Murillo kept alive a set-piece. The captain had a volley blocked, but the Serbia centre-back Milenkovic pounced on the rebound.

The home side then pushed for more, with Hudson-Odoi dinking a effort on to the bar before Ibrahim Sangaré sent an ambitious shot off target from 30 yards. It was that kind of nights. Dyche, mindful of the upcoming domestic fixture here against Brighton, made seven changes from the side that surprised the Reds at Anfield recently, when they additionally netted three times, though he called on Elliot Anderson, Dan Ndoye and Igor Jesus during the second half.

Smooth Night for Forest

It proved a hiccup-free evening for Forest. The coach could take off Murillo with the match already sewn up and later brought on teenage full-back Sinclair for his senior bow. Dyche discussed the club legends providing “bits of gold” at weekly get-togethers and, nearly fifty years on, the present squad demonstrated they are capable of a few nuggets of excitement, as well.