🔗 Share this article

“Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that,” was chanted around the stadium as Nottingham Forest fans celebrated another result against Malmö. A great deal has occurred since Trevor Francis’s winning header secured the European Cup back in 1979, but Forest continue to hold dear those memories. Similarly, significant changes have occurred in the five weeks since the manager assumed control, with the team appearing reinvigorated and securing a comfortable victory courtesy of goals from Arnaud Kalimuendo, Yates, and Nikola Milenkovic, enhancing their hopes of progressing in the European competition.

Building Steam with Another Consecutive Victory

For Forest, this result – against a Malmö side that had been inactive for nearly a month after ending in sixth place in their domestic league – represented a third consecutive triumph across every tournament and further built on the momentum generated from the previous week's success at Anfield. While this match was a re-run of Forest’s European Cup success in spirit, the encounter itself was free of any real tension or nerves.

This was an event filled with nostalgia, an longed-for reunion and the third competitive meeting between the sides since the showpiece event 46 years ago.

The home side fully embraced the history, honoring the legends 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 present. The two clubs shared a dinner together before the kick-off. Frank Clark, Colin Barrett and their teammates received a rousing welcome when they gathered on the pitch a quarter of an hour before kick-off, and a characteristically impressive tifo was unveiled in the Trent End.

Recalling History

“May 30, 1979, Robertson crossed it in from the left flank,” displayed half of a giant banner, in capital letters. While nobody required a reminder of what happened next, the remaining section was revealed as the players emerged from the tunnel. “There is Francis,” it stated. A second brilliant tifo showed Brian Clough watching events beside his assistant Peter Taylor on a dugout at the Munich stadium.

Control from the Start

So, the hosts had drunk in those beautiful memories, but what about the showing on the evening? It was pretty good, as well. They were in complete control from the moment the forward fired an effort wide inside the opening moments and established a 2-0 lead by the half-time interval. Nicolás Domínguez sent an early header wide and then Zach Abbott, on his maiden European start, had a go.

It felt fitting that Yates, who came to the club aged eight, made the first dent in the visitors' defence captained by their own academy product skipper, Jansson, formerly of Leeds United and Brentford. The Forest centre-back Milenkovic saw a delivery deflect off a opponent and into the pathway of Yates, who swept home right-footed from the edge of the penalty area to register his first goal since last March.

Second Strike Confirms Control

Yates was implicated in the team's next goal on the brink of the interval, as well, his unmarked header parried by Malmö’s shot-stopper Ellborg but Kalimuendo poised to convert the rebound from point-blank range. James McAtee, the midfielder given a rare start and only his second appearance since the autumn, was the spark, chipping a perfect ball towards Yates at the far post.

Just moments before, Callum Hudson-Odoi low effort was turned wide off Malmö defender Colin Rösler, son of ex- Manchester City striker Uwe Rösler, and an unmarked Milenkovic had previously had a strong header smartly saved by Ellborg, who returned in place of the former Aston Villa goalie Olsen.

Opponent's Struggles

This was Malmö’s first match since the Swedish Allsvenskan ended on November 9th, and they struggled to match the home team's energy. The Reds 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 Serbia centre-back Milenkovic feasted on the rebound.

The home side then went for the jugular, with Hudson-Odoi chipping a effort on to the bar before Sangaré sent an optimistic shot wide from distance. It was one of those evenings. The manager, aware of the upcoming domestic fixture here against Brighton & Hove Albion, made multiple alterations from the team that surprised Liverpool at Anfield last weekend, when they additionally netted three goals, though he called on Elliot Anderson, Dan Ndoye and Igor Jesus midway through the final period.

Hiccup-Free Evening for the Team

It turned out to be a flawless evening for Nottingham Forest. The coach could take off Murillo with the match already sewn up and later introduced 19-year-old defender Sinclair for his senior bow. Dyche talked about the Forest old guard supplying “valuable insights” at regular meetings and, nearly fifty years on, the current crop demonstrated they are capable of a few nuggets of excitement, too.