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“Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that,” was chanted through the ground as Nottingham Forest supporters celebrated another win against their Swedish opponents. Much has happened since Trevor Francis’s decisive header secured the European Cup in the year 1979, but Forest continue to hold dear those glorious moments. Equally, significant shifts have occurred in the five weeks since the manager took charge, with Forest appearing reinvigorated and earning a convincing victory thanks to goals from Arnaud Kalimuendo, Ryan Yates, and Milenkovic, enhancing their prospects of progressing in the Europa League.

Building Steam with Third Straight Win

For Nottingham Forest, this result – against a Swedish side that had been inactive for almost three weeks after ending in sixth place in their domestic league – represented a third straight win across all competitions and added to the positive energy gained from the previous week's stunning victory at Anfield. While this match was a re-run of the club's historic success in name, the encounter itself was free of any significant tension or nerves.

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

The home side leaned into the history, honoring the heroes of 1979 by providing them, along with their Malmö counterparts, the red-carpet treatment. Thirteen members of the Malmö's squad from then were additionally in attendance. Both teams enjoyed a meal together before the kick-off. Frank Clark, Colin Barrett and company were given a rousing welcome when they gathered on the pitch 15 minutes before kick-off, and a characteristically impressive tifo was unveiled in the Trent End.

Recalling History

“30th May 1979, Robertson delivered the ball from the left flank,” displayed half of a large tifo, in block capitals. While no one needed reminding of what happened next, the remaining section was unfurled as the squads emerged from the dressing rooms. “And there’s Francis,” it stated. Another stunning display showed Brian Clough observing events beside his right-hand man Peter Taylor on a dugout at the Munich stadium.

Control from the Outset

So, the hosts had drunk in those beautiful recollections, but what about the performance on the night? It was strong, too. They were in complete control from the moment the forward fired an effort wide inside two minutes and established a 2-0 advantage by the half-time interval. Domínguez sent an early header off target and then Abbott, on his first European start, tried his luck.

It felt fitting that Yates, who came to Forest aged eight, made the initial breakthrough in the Malmö defense captained by their own academy product skipper, Jansson, formerly of Leeds United and Brentford FC. The home defender Milenkovic saw a cross deflect off a defender and into the path of Yates, who swept home with his right foot from the edge of the box to register his first goal since March.

Another Goal Seals Dominance

The scorer 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 convert the rebound from point-blank range. McAtee, the midfielder given a rare start and just his second outing since the autumn, was the spark, chipping a delicious ball towards his teammate at the back post.

Just moments before, Hudson-Odoi’s low effort was deflected aside off the defender Colin Rösler, son of ex- Man City forward Uwe Rösler, and an free Milenkovic also earlier had a powerful header smartly saved by the keeper, who was back in place of the former Villa goalie Olsen.

Malmö’s Struggles

This was Malmö’s first match since the Swedish Allsvenskan ended on 9 November, and they found it hard to match the home team's energy. Forest made it 3-0 when the defender scored after his defensive colleague Murillo headed back a set-piece. The captain had a volley blocked, but the Serbian centre-back Milenkovic pounced on the rebound.

Forest then went for the jugular, with the winger dinking a effort on to the crossbar before Ibrahim Sangaré sent an ambitious shot wide from 30 yards. It was one of those evenings. The manager, aware of Sunday’s league game here against Brighton & Hove Albion, implemented seven changes from the team that surprised the Reds at their ground last weekend, when they also netted three times, though he introduced substitutes and Igor Jesus during the second half.

Hiccup-Free Evening for Forest

It proved a hiccup-free night for Nottingham Forest. Dyche could take off Murillo with the match already sewn up and subsequently introduced 19-year-old full-back Sinclair for his senior bow. He discussed the club legends providing “valuable insights” at weekly get-togethers and, almost five decades on, the current crop showed they are capable of a few nuggets of excitement, too.