SIR ALEX FERGUSON snubbed Manchester United’s trip to Porto on Thursday night.
The legendary Red Devils manager chose to watch another Europa League clash instead.
United travelled to Portugal for their second league phase fixture following last week’s draw with Twente.
However, their 13-time Premier League-winning former boss was not in attendance at the Estadio do Dragao.
As his old club raced into a 2-0 lead on the road, Ferguson watched on as Rangers faced Lyon at Ibrox.
The 82-year-old was pictured in the stands at Glasgow during a frantic first half.
Lyon had taken the lead after just 10 minutes through Malick Fofana.
Rangers pegged them back just four minutes later, though, thanks to Tom Lawrence’s equaliser.
The visitors regained their advantage in the 19th minute after former Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette found the back of the net.
Phillippe Clement’s side won their opening match last week away to Swedish side Malmo.
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Meanwhile, Lyon were also victorious at home to Conference League winners Olympiacos.
United are set to host Rangers at Old Trafford on matchday seven in January.
Ferguson has previously been a regular at United matches since leaving the dugout.
He retired in 2013 after almost 27 years as manager, during which time he won 38 major trophies including the treble in 1999.
His absence on Thursday comes after he reportedly recommended Massimiliano Allegri to replace Erik ten Hag as manager.
The Dutchman has been under mounting pressure after Sunday’s defeat to Tottenham and Ferguson has chosen his successor.
Allegri, who won five Serie A titles with Juventus, has been out of work since leaving the Italian giants in May.
A SEXY secretary takes off her glasses, removes the pen holding up the bun in her hair and slides it between her lips.
She undoes a few more buttons on her pinstripe blazer and . . . you know the rest.
You’d be forgiven for thinking you were watching a retro porn flick or even a scene from a Carry On film.
But this look is doing the rounds on TikTok, the catwalk and beyond.
It’s frequently hashtagged #officesiren or #corporateslut and, as those names suggest, it feels like a massive blow for feminism.
The latest model to lean into overly-sexualised workplace attire is former Victoria’s Secret Angel Elsa Hosk.
As the face of Aussie fashion brand I.AM.GIA’s Office Collection, the 35-year-old Swedish model can be seen posing in a frilly pinstripe bra and knickers with her bum cheeks pressed up against a photocopier.
But if you actually went to the office in one of I.AM.GIA’s suggestive looks — including a totally sheer top and a mini dress so short you can see the gusset of your tights — you’d probably give Nigel in accounts a heart attack.
This trend for dressing like you got ready for work, then lost half of your outfit in the lift, took off in October 2023, when Kim Kardashian launched the Skims Ultimate Nipple Bra with an advert that saw her in wire-framed spectacles and a skin-tight body stocking tapping away at a clunky computer in a retro beige office.
Since then, designers such as Prada, Retrofete and Tory Burch have sent models down the catwalk in looks that are not so much business-casual, more business-casual-sex.
Model Bella Hadid has been working the sleazy office siren look for some time, with her Miu Miu half-unbuttoned striped shirts, micro mini skirts and thick-rimmed glasses.
At Paris Fashion Week, Hollywood star Jennifer Lawrence wore a three-piece grey suit, with enough cleavage on show to trigger an HR investigation.
Model Hailey Bieber loves an oversized blazer, with black opaques and very little underneath, while pop star Sabrina Carpenter recently posed in a plunging pinstripe two-piece with a pair of glasses hanging suggestively out of her mouth.
And actress Florence Pugh is currently on the cover of British Vogue wearing a cleavage-baring midi-dress by Dolce & Gabbana, her black bra proudly on display.
The high street has quickly followed (pin-stripe) suit, with BooHoo launching an Office Siren collection and Asos bringing out a Nineties-inspired Office Core range.
What’s confusing is that some items do look office appropriate. But others definitely are not.
Think shirts that end above the belly button and mini skirts with massive splits in them.
There’s definitely something deeply nostalgic about these looks, which feel like they have been ripped straight from iconic films and TV shows about office life.
At work, I’d rather be judged for my outcomes, not my outfits
Remember Gisele Bundchen’s bespectacled cameo in 2006 movie The Devil Wears Prada, or the vampy secretary who has an affair with Alan Rickman in 2003’s Love Actually?
Perhaps the biggest influence on this trend is Maggie Gyllenhaal in 2002 movie Secretary, where a receptionist and her boss fall into a BDSM relationship.
Some office siren looks are even more retro, featuring Eighties-style stockings and huge shoulder-padded blazers as seen in Melanie Griffith’s hit 1988 movie Working Girl.
Of course, TV’s most glamorous sexy secretary — Joan from Mad Men — is far too covered up to tap into the office siren trend.
I realise the corporate slut look is largely tongue-in-cheek and that Gen Z are far more likely to wear it to the club than to the actual office.
But it still feels regressive that we are encouraging young women to dress like they are in a male fantasy from the 1980s.
There’s even an online article, How To Office Siren Your Way Into A Promotion, with tips on how to dress the office siren way.
Seriously? We’re not so far away from a time when women were routinely objectified in the office.
Generations of us have fought hard to win respect at work and this is taking us back several decades.
Is that really the message we want to give to young women starting their careers?
That to get ahead at work you have to show some leg and flash a bit of cleavage? They shouldn’t be aspiring to be office sirens, they should be aspiring to be CEOs.
Celebrating the idea of being a corporate slut feels irresponsible and even damaging.
The shoot for the I.AM.GIA campaign shows half-naked couples in office cubicles getting it on.
Seriously? We’re not so far away from a time when women were routinely objectified in the office
Given the #MeToo movement — and the fact that many companies have now banned office relationships — these images feel quite jarring.
When I was in my twenties, I wanted to be taken seriously in an office dominated by men, but pencil skirts and buttoned-up shirts felt like cosplaying.
It took me many years to find a smart workwear style that also felt like me — a pair of loafers and some high-waisted trousers.
Now, like many people post-pandemic, I work from home, usually in a tracksuit. But there’s a part of me that longs to stride into the office again, in a pair of shiny shoes and a power blazer.
Perhaps that’s the reason the office siren trend has taken off for autumn.
We’ve become so used to slobbing about in athleisure wear, that corporate clothes now feel daring and risqué.
I’m sure there’s an argument to be made that being the “hot girl” in the office can be empowering, but I’m keen to see the back of this particular fashion trend.
At work, I’d rather be judged for my outcomes, not my outfits.
AS temperatures drop and the nights get longer, it’s time to embrace the new season ahead – and the wardrobe refresh it brings.
But that doesn’t mean you have to say goodbye to all your favourite summer styles, as some of the key trends are sticking around.
Follow Antonia Kraskowski’s guide to which trends to STICK with and which to STASH away for next summer.
Then discover which old favourites it’s time to SALVAGE and which styles you could SPLASH your cash on.
BOHEMIAN FROCKS
FROM actress Daisy Edgar-Jones to singer Rihanna, Seventies-inspired looks have been top of the fashion lust list this year – and Boho is here to stay for the new season.
Summer’s floaty chiffon frocks continue as a key trend.
Update them for autumn with a pair of burgundy or conker-coloured boots.
Dress, £44.99, H&M
OVERSIZED BLAZERS
THEY are the easiest way to smarten up a pair of jeans, and blazers – particularly oversized styles – aren’t going anywhere soon, so play with those proportions.
Broad shoulders and slouchy sleeves continue to be key.
Try belting at the waist for a more exaggerated look.
LEOPARD-PRINT
WHILE leopard never really left us, this autumn it’s back with a bang.
And it is on everything, from trench coats and dresses to accessories.
Be ready to take a walk on the wild side.
Dress, £59.99, Zara
LADYLIKE FLATS
SUMMER saw ballet flats return to the fashion world’s feet, with delicate crystal mesh styles, metallics and pretty pastels.
This ladylike shape is here to stay alongside Mary Janes and slim-soled loafers.
Pointed ballet pumps, £32.99, New Look
MINIMALIST JEWELLERY
TIRED of getting your necklaces tangled up?
Pack away those delicate designs and add a chunky gold chain for an instant update.
The heavier, the better!
Chain necklace, £37, & Other Stories
BIKER JACKETS
WHILE this is a style classic, it’s time to swap to something cosier as the temperatures drop.
Definitely stash the fitted biker jackets for another year but if you really must wear a moto now, then go oversized.
Wearing over dresses gives a cool 90s vibe.
Biker jacket, £42.99, New Look
FLORAL DRESSES
IF you haven’t already, it’s time to put away ditsy floral frocks.
Instead, opt for floaty chiffons, bold animal prints and fitted feminine styles.
Dress, £12, George at Asda
CLOMPY SHOES
THE cool kids might have spent their Brat summer in clompy loafers and white socks but now it’s time to make the switch to something a little more grown-up and ladylike.
Swap chunky shoes for thin-soled versions.
FAUX FUR JACKET
THE snuggle is real for autumn – so it’s time to dig out your favourite cuddly coat for the cold weather ahead.
Faux fur, teddy coats, fuzzy feathers and shaggy jackets are all firmly back on the agenda.
If you want a sleeker look, opt for a coat or jacket with a furry collar or cuffs for a nod to this re-emerging trend.
Faux shearling aviator, £69, M&S
BARREL LEG JEANS
WE might have all scoffed when these first appeared last winter, but there’s no denying this flattering denim style.
With a wide-leg cut that tapers at the ankle, they’re here to stay for the foreseeable future.
As with any wide-leg style, balance the voluminous proportions with a fitted top.
Jeans, £22.50, F+F at Tesco
BIG BAGS
WHETHER you’re carrying a laptop, your gym gear or the kitchen sink, an oversized tote bag is perfect for those days when you have a lot of stuff to lug around.
Keep it chic with a pared-back, simple style.
Tote bag, £35, M&S
RURAL CHIC
GET inspired by the great outdoors – and Claudia Winkleman’s Traitors looks.
Add tweeds, plaids and argyles to your wardrobe for a touch of countryside cool this autumn.
Keep it light by adding silky separates, pretty bows and sheer tights for a girlish take on what Pinterest is calling Eclectic Grandpa.
ADD BURGUNDY
LOOKING for a shortcut to update your wardrobe for autumn?
Adding burgundy is an instant way to bring your look into the new season.
Go for a statement coat or a dash of colour in the form of a bag or shoes.
Shoes, £28, Next
LEATHER
GO hell for leather these coming months.
Whether you opt for a pair of trousers, pencil skirt or statement dress, don’t just stick to black.
You’ll get extra style points for injecting a touch of colour or metallics for a truly head-turning outfit.
Skirt, £22, Primark
INDIGO DENIM
WHITE, cream and light-wash jeans were a summer staple, but it’s time to switch to darker denim.
Washes such as indigo and black will look smarter than mid-wash blues.
Jeans, £19.99, H&M
TAILORED SUITING
CLASSIC suiting got an update this year with the addition of waistcoats to our favourite slick tailored looks.
This timeless style is big news for autumn too, and isn’t going anywhere.
So if you haven’t invested yet, now could be the time.
Opt for classic cuts in neutral and earthy tones for a grown-up, luxe look.
SOMETIMES it’s hard to know which side to take in a heated debate.
Whether it’s a General Election, a referendum or a debate on an issue like assisted dying, I think most reasonable people can see there are strong arguments on both sides.
But sometimes there just isn’t any grey area.
Sometimes the dividing line is the darkest black on one side and the brightest white on the other.
That’s precisely where we are right now with the Middle East.
Everyone has to pick a side. And what has amazed me over the past year is just how many people living in Britain have chosen the WRONG side.
On Monday we will mark the first anniversary of the October 7 attack by Hamas terrorists in which 1,200 men, women and children were massacred in southern Israel and 250 hostages were seized.
It was the deadliest attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust and it left the nation stunned and scared.
Yet within hours of the slaughter, hundreds of people were cheering and dancing on the streets of Britain to celebrate the attack and, twice a month ever since, many tens of thousands have marched through our cities in what they claim is solidarity with Gaza but is now a blatantly anti-Israel protest.
Far from being on the fringes, all this time they have been buoyed up by the many left-wing politicians, social commentators and even journalists working at the BBC and other broadcasters who, in seeking to sympathise with the cause of the Palestinian people, have pushed the narrative that Israel is not the victim but the perpetrator, that they brought the attack on themselves by their own actions, and that it is THEY, not the Hamas terrorists, who are the mass murderers, the perpetrators of genocide and the root of all evil.
Again, in the past week, when Israel finally retaliated against Hezbollah militants and their Iranian backers after a YEAR of daily rocket attacks from Lebanon into northern Israel, it was — surprise, surprise — Israel that was condemned as the aggressor.
This sick rewriting of reality is beyond belief.
Day after day, much of our mainstream and social media tell us that Israel is the oppressor while the “freedom fighters” of Hamas and Hezbollah are acting on behalf of the oppressed Palestinians.
No wonder, then, that millions of my fellow Brits now believe that defending anyone who attacks Israel is the only righteous and moral thing to do.
Yet they are, of course, completely and utterly wrong
Of course we should all care about the innocent civilians of Gaza and Lebanon.
But Israel has gone beyond anything any other military has done to minimise casualties.
In fact, the only people who DON’T care about children being bombed are the terrorists who deliberately place them in harm’s way by building their networks of tunnels and weapons caches beneath homes, schools and hospitals.
How can anyone choose the side of Hamas and Hezbollah when they are no different to their Islamist terrorist cousins in al-Qaeda and IS, whose only aim is to kill and subjugate anyone who resists the creation of a worldwide Islamist caliphate?
If you think they’re the good guys, then maybe you should think again.
If you’re on the same side as those who celebrate rocket attacks on innocents, maybe you need to readjust your moral compass.
If you find yourself supporting the same cause as the Iranian mullahs, who murder women for the crime of not wearing a headscarf, perhaps you haven’t really thought things through.
Because you’re not just taking the side of the terrorists, you are taking sides against the TRUTH.
There may be two sides to every argument but only one side can ultimately be right. I know which side I’m on.
LIKE many viewers, I was left gobsmacked by the Channel 5 show Cast Away, featuring Phillip Schofield stranded alone on a desert island for ten days to fend for himself, with only a video camera for company.
It wasn’t the sight of his buttocks as he ran naked into the sea that stunned me, but his shocking lack of understanding about his fall from grace.
Schofield was sacked 16 months ago over his relationship with a much younger man working on ITV’s This Morning show.
Yet in Cast Away he showed not a shred of self-awareness, humility or remorse – instead blaming everyone from his TV co-stars and producers to ITV bosses and even his own brother (now a convicted paedophile) for the untimely ending of his stellar career.
His cack-handed attempt at redemption and rehabilitation came far too soon and will, I fear, have done him more harm than good.
LONDON’S “Night Tsar” has quit.
I know, it is devastating news for all of us – well, at least for the half-dozen people who knew that job even existed in our capital city.
Amy Lame, an LGBT campaigner and broadcaster, was appointed by her mate, London Mayor Sadiq Khan, despite seemingly having zero qualifications for the role.
And during her eight years supposedly promoting London’s night-time economy, she oversaw a collapse in the capital’s nightlife greater than any other city in England post-lockdown.
Lame did, though, manage to find the time for 12 glamorous trips abroad on expenses while being paid a whopping £132,000 taxpayer-funded salary.
Frankly, Ms Lame, we Londoners would like our money back.
THE BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg had to cancel a primetime TV interview with Boris Johnson about his new memoirs, Unleashed, after she accidentally included the man himself in a message to her producers about her planned line of questioning. Oops!
Ironically that’s precisely the sort of thing that the former PM would do himself . . . if he ever bothered to do any preparation for anything.
His memoirs are just like the man himself – witty and engaging but also chaotic, frustrating and self-serving.
Most telling is what he has to say about his handling of the Covid pandemic, where he happily blames everyone else, from the scientists and civil servants to the media and trade unions, for his decisions over lockdowns.
The truth is that Boris Johnson was too lazy to do his own homework and he allowed himself to be bamboozled into damaging policies that will blight this nation for decades to come.
He forgot the crucial fact that advisers are there to advise.
But we elect Prime Ministers to DECIDE.
KEIR STARMER has just handed over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.
The territory has been disputed for many decades amid claims they’re the last remaining “British colony in Africa”.
But as we all know – after a quick check on Google Maps, anyway – the Chagos Islands are slap bang in the middle of the Indian Ocean and include the strategically vital US naval base of Diego Garcia.
So why on Earth would the UK give up the islands to Mauritius, a failing and corrupt state with strong links to China, a hostile nation?
What’s he going to give away next? The Falklands? Gibraltar?
Did Starmer just want to curry favour with his leftie chums obsessed with fighting our colonial legacy?
My guess is Mauritius offered him some free designer suits and he just couldn’t resist.
ACTRESS Amanda Abbington says she has been vindicated over her allegations of bullying on Strictly after the BBC’s report into her claims against a pro dancer was published.
The actress accused Giovanni Pernice of “inappropriate, mean, nasty bullying” when they were partnered up for last year’s series, and says she suffered PTSD.
But the BBC report upheld only six of her 17 allegations, and threw out ALL of the most serious claims, including those of threatening behaviour and physical aggression.
Yet Pernice’s career at the BBC is over, his reputation shattered.
I’m Team Gio all the way.
Yes, he may have pushed his celeb partner beyond her abilities and there were bust-ups, but does that merit the end of his career?
Maybe some celebs just aren’t cut out for the show.
As the indomitable ex-Strictly star Ann Widdecombe remarked in astonishment about Amanda’s claims: “PTSD? After a dance show?”
FIRST we had the wrong kind of leaves on the line causing train delays, then the wrong kind of snow.
Now it’s the wrong kind of windscreen wipers.
A shiny new £1billion fleet of passenger trains has been sitting in storage for years after rail unions objected to the size of the windscreen wipers.
South Western Railway bought 90 Arterio trains to replace its 40-year-old carriages but the unions said the wipers meant train drivers couldn’t see signals easily.
Why this couldn’t have been sorted out years ago is anyone’s guess.
But miraculously, after long-suffering commuters spent years packed into creaking carriages, the unions decided the wipers were in fact safe – landing after a 15 per cent wage rise.
What a coincidence!
The real problem is that we have the wrong kind of train company bosses and the wrong kind of trade union chiefs.