Nottingham Forest recorded a commanding 3-0 victory over Malmö FF in the Europa League, strengthening their position in the race for a play-off place and demonstrating the club’s growing momentum under manager Sean Dyche.

Early Control and Goals

The hosts took the lead with a first-half strike from skipper Ryan Yates, who finished a precise move after a header opportunity. Forest dominated possession from the outset, putting Malmö under constant pressure.

Striker Arnaud Kalimuendo, in his first season at Forest following a £26m move from Rennes, added the second goal just before halftime, following up after Yates’ header was saved. Nikola Milenkovic sealed the victory shortly after the restart, converting from close range to make it 3-0. Callum Hudson-Odoi came close to scoring as well, striking the post as Forest threatened to run riot.

Dyche’s Tactical Mastery

Dyche, who made seven changes for the match, praised the squad’s mentality:

“The mentality we’re trying to build here is one game at a time. If you take care of results, it starts looking after itself. We have laid down some really good markers for the group to expect from themselves… The reward is winning games.”

Under Dyche, Forest have stabilized after a turbulent period that saw the departure of Nuno Espírito Santo and a brief 39-day stint from Ange Postecoglou. The team has now won four of seven matches under Dyche, including two in Europe, creating momentum both domestically and continentally.

Historical Resonance

Thursday’s match held special significance as Forest welcomed back the heroes of 1979, who won the club’s first European Cup against Malmö. Forty-six years later, the two squads reunited at the City Ground, connecting past triumphs with the 2025-26 campaign.

Europa League Standings and Next Fixtures

Forest’s win moves them two points off the top eight in the Europa League league phase, which would guarantee automatic qualification for the last 16. With three games remaining, the club remains in strong contention for a play-off spot.

Upcoming fixtures for Forest include:

• Premier League: vs Brighton at City Ground (Sunday, 14:05 GMT), vs Wolves away (3 December, 19:30)
• Europa League: vs Utrecht, vs Braga, and final league-phase match at home against Ferencvaros in January

Malmö will next face Porto away (11 December) and host Red Star Belgrade (22 January).

Player Ratings

Key performers in the victory included:

• Ryan Yates (Nottingham Forest) – 8.84, player of the match
• Nikola Milenkovic (Forest) – 8.62
• Ibrahim Sangaré (Forest) – 8.39
• Arnaud Kalimuendo (Forest) – 8.19
• Callum Hudson-Odoi (Forest) – 8.07

Other notable contributions came from Z. Abbott (8.06), Morato (7.78), and E. Anderson (7.56), reflecting the depth of Dyche’s squad.

Summary

Nottingham Forest’s emphatic win over Malmö reinforces their Europa League credentials and signals a new era of stability and confidence under Sean Dyche. With European and domestic success now in sight, the team is well-positioned to compete for a top-eight finish in the Europa League and strengthen their foothold in European football.