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“You’ll never sing that, champions of Europe,” echoed through the City Ground as Nottingham Forest followers reveled in a further win against Malmö. A great deal has transpired since Francis's winning header clinched the continental trophy back in the year 1979, but Forest still treasure those memories. Equally, major shifts have taken place in the five weeks since the manager assumed control, with the team looking reinvigorated and securing a convincing win thanks to goals from Arnaud Kalimuendo, Yates, and Nikola Milenkovic, boosting their prospects of progressing in the Europa League.

Building Steam with Another Straight Victory

For Forest, this performance – against a Malmö side that had not played for nearly a month after ending sixth in their home competition – represented a third consecutive triumph across all competitions and added to the positive energy gained from the previous week's success at Anfield. While this match was a re-run of Forest’s European Cup success in name, the encounter itself was devoid of any significant jeopardy or nerves.

It proved to be an event dripping in sentiment, an longed-for reunion and the third competitive clash between the sides since the showpiece event over four decades past.

The home side leaned into 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 that time were also present. The two clubs shared a meal together prior to the match. Forest legends and company received a tumultuous welcome when they assembled on the field a quarter of an hour before kick-off, and a typically impressive tifo was shown in the Trent End.

Recalling the Past

“30th May 1979, Robertson delivered the ball from the left,” displayed half of a large tifo, in block capitals. While nobody needed reminding of what happened next, the rest was revealed as the squads came out from the tunnel. “And there’s Francis,” it stated. A second brilliant display showed Clough watching events beside his right-hand man Taylor on a bench at the Munich stadium.

Control from the Outset

So, Forest had drunk in those beautiful memories, but what about the showing on the night? It was pretty good, as well. They were in full command from the moment the forward whistled an attempt off target inside two minutes and built a two-goal advantage by the half-time interval. Nicolás Domínguez sent an early header wide and then Zach Abbott, on his first European start, tried his luck.

It seemed appropriate that Yates, who joined the club as an eight-year-old, made the initial breakthrough in the visitors' defence captained by their own homegrown skipper, Pontus Jansson, previously of Leeds and Brentford. The home defender Nikola Milenkovic saw a delivery cannon off a opponent and into the pathway of the midfielder, who finished with his right foot from just inside the box to register his maiden strike since March.

Another Goal Seals Control

Yates was involved in Forest’s second goal on the brink of the interval, as well, his free header saved by the goalkeeper Melker Ellborg but Kalimuendo poised to convert the loose ball from point-blank range. James McAtee, the playmaker given a seldom start and just his second appearance since September, was the catalyst, lofting a perfect ball towards his teammate at the far post.

A minute earlier, Callum Hudson-Odoi driven shot was deflected aside off the back Colin Rösler, the son of ex- Man City forward Uwe, and an unmarked Milenkovic also earlier had a strong header smartly saved by Ellborg, who returned in place of the former Aston Villa goalkeeper Robin Olsen.

Malmö’s Struggles

This was the Swedish side's initial game since the Swedish Allsvenskan concluded on November 9th, and they found it hard to match Forest’s energy. Forest made it 3-0 when Milenkovic scored after his centre-back partner Murillo kept alive a set-piece. Yates had a shot stopped, but the Serbian centre-back Milenkovic pounced on the rebound.

Forest then went for the jugular, with Hudson-Odoi dinking a effort on to the bar before Ibrahim Sangaré sent an optimistic shot wide from 30 yards. It was that kind of nights. The manager, mindful of Sunday’s league game here against Brighton & Hove Albion, implemented multiple alterations from the team that surprised the Reds at their ground last weekend, when they also scored three goals, though he called on substitutes and Igor Jesus during the final period.

Smooth Evening for Forest

It proved a flawless evening for Forest. The coach could withdraw Murillo with the match already sewn up and subsequently brought on teenage full-back Jimmy Sinclair for his senior bow. He talked about the club legends providing “valuable insights” at regular meetings and, almost five decades on, the present squad showed they are capable of a few nuggets of thrills, as well.