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“You’ll never sing that, champions of Europe,” echoed around the stadium as Nottingham Forest fans reveled in a further success against Malmö. Much has happened since Trevor Francis’s winning header secured the continental trophy in 1979, but the club still hold dear those glorious moments. Similarly, major shifts have taken place in the five weeks since the manager assumed control, with the team looking reinvigorated and earning a convincing win thanks to goals from Arnaud Kalimuendo, Yates, and Milenkovic, boosting their hopes of advancing in the Europa League.

Building Steam with Another Consecutive Victory

For Nottingham Forest, this performance – against a Malmö side that had been inactive for almost three weeks after finishing sixth in their home competition – marked a third consecutive win across all competitions and added to the positive energy generated from last weekend’s success at Anfield. While this match was a re-run of Forest’s historic success in spirit, the game itself was devoid of any real jeopardy or nerves.

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

Forest fully embraced the heritage, paying tribute to the heroes of that era by giving them, along with their Malmö opponents, the VIP welcome. 13 members of the Malmö's squad from then were also present. Both teams shared a meal together prior to the match. Frank Clark, Colin Barrett and their teammates received a tumultuous welcome when they gathered on the pitch 15 minutes before the start, and a typically superb tifo was shown in the Trent End.

Remembering the Past

“May 30, 1979, Robertson delivered the ball from the left flank,” read half of a giant tifo, in capital letters. While nobody required a reminder of what happened next, the remaining section was unfurled as the squads emerged from the tunnel. “There is Francis,” it stated. A second brilliant display showed Clough watching proceedings beside his right-hand man Peter Taylor on a dugout at the Olympiastadion.

Control from the Outset

So, the hosts had soaked up those beautiful memories, but what about the performance on the evening? It was impressive, too. They were in full command from the moment the forward whistled an attempt wide inside two minutes and established a 2-0 advantage by the break. Nicolás Domínguez sent an early header off target and then Abbott, on his first European start, had a go.

It seemed appropriate that Ryan Yates, who came to Forest aged eight, made the initial breakthrough in the Malmö defense captained by their own homegrown skipper, Jansson, previously of Leeds and Brentford FC. The Forest defender Milenkovic saw a delivery cannon off a opponent and into the path of the midfielder, who finished with his right foot from just inside the penalty area to register his maiden strike since last March.

Another Strike Confirms Dominance

The scorer was involved in Forest’s second goal on the verge of half-time, too, his free header parried by Malmö’s goalkeeper Melker Ellborg but the alert forward poised to convert the loose ball from close range. McAtee, the playmaker given a seldom start and only his second appearance since September, was the catalyst, chipping a delicious ball towards Yates at the far post.

Just moments before, Hudson-Odoi’s low effort was deflected wide off Malmö back Rösler, son of former Manchester City forward Uwe Rösler, and an unmarked Milenkovic had earlier had a powerful header smartly repelled by the keeper, who returned in place of the ex- Villa goalkeeper Olsen.

Malmö’s Struggles

This was the Swedish side's initial game since the domestic league concluded on November 9th, and they found it hard to match the home team's energy. Forest made it 3-0 when the defender scored after his centre-back partner Murillo kept alive a corner. The captain had a volley blocked, but the Serbia defender Milenkovic feasted on the leftovers.

Forest then went for the jugular, with the winger dinking a right-foot shot on to the bar before Ibrahim Sangaré sent an ambitious shot off target from 30 yards. It was that kind of evenings. The manager, mindful of the upcoming domestic fixture here against Brighton, made multiple alterations from the side that surprised Liverpool at Anfield recently, when they also netted three goals, though he called on Elliot Anderson, Dan Ndoye and further fresh legs during the final period.

Smooth Evening for Forest

It proved a flawless night for Forest. The coach could take off Murillo with the match already boxed off and later brought on teenage full-back Sinclair for his senior bow. Dyche discussed the Forest old guard supplying “valuable insights” at weekly get-togethers and, nearly fifty years on, the present squad demonstrated they are able of producing of thrills, too.