MONACO -- As Formula One champion Sebastian Vettel struggles to get into gear, Red Bull teammate Daniel Ricciardos is gliding through the curves. Ricciardo is in fifth place overall, six points behind fourth-place Vettel, and secured his first career podium two weeks ago when he finished third at the Spanish Grand Prix. The Australian driver has beaten Vettel in qualifying in three of the five races, and has twice featured on the front row -- qualifying second in Australia and in China. Vettel was so dominant last year, winning the last nine races and 13 overall, that it seemed highly improbable Ricciardo would challenge him in his first season since moving from Toro Rosso. "Some people didnt expect this from me, but I knew deep down that I could do well," Ricciardo said at the Monaco GP on Friday. "If I am able to push a four-time world champion then I know that I am doing something right." Rule changes to engine size and lowered fuel loads have blighted Red Bull, which is unable to generate the same speed, and is lagging way behind Mercedes, as Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg run away with the championship. "Seb had a car at the end of last year he was very comfortable with, so it might have taken him a little by surprise to have a more complex car this year," Ricciardo said. "Maybe I have adapted to the new conditions a bit quicker." Vettel had a frosty relationship with former teammate Mark Webber, who retired after last years championship. Although there are no signs of tension between him and Ricciardo, it appears Vettels team role has somewhat lessened this season. "Particularly in preseason, Seb was doing a lot of the talking within the team and a lot of the feedback, because he knew everyone and they trusted him," Ricciardo said. "But now that I have some results and Ive got to know the team a lot better, they are now leaning on both of us for feedback." Ricciardo would be ahead of Vettel had he not been disqualified in front of his home fans at the season-opening Australian GP, where he was stripped of his second-place finish, and the 18 points that go with it, for breaching F1s new rules on fuel usage. "It did so much for my confidence seeing all those people cheering and shouting my name," Ricciardo said. "It actually made me even hungrier with how it went because it got taken away from me." Fake Soccer Jerseys . Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone dismissed Tuesdays massive anti-government protest in Manama as "a lot of kids having a go at the police." "I dont think its anything serious at all," Ecclestone was quoted as saying in The Guardian newspaper on Wednesday. Fake Jerseys .ca presents its latest weekly power rankings for the 2013-14 Barclays Premier League season. https://www.fakejerseys.us.com/. -- Andrew Wiggins is from Canada, Wayne Selden from Massachusetts and Joel Embiid from the African nation of Cameroon. Fake Jerseys For Sale . New York then missed its next six shots and scored only two points the rest of the night. The Los Angeles Clippers defence and the Knicks general ineptitude both played a role in the unsurprising finish to a meeting of two teams headed in opposite directions. Fake Football Jerseys . PETERSBURG, Fla.LONDON -- Olivier Giroud settled the first north London derby of the season on Sunday as Arsenal asserted its supremacy over Tottenham on the pitch with a 1-0 victory despite months of lavish spending by its neighbour. Giroud turned the ball into the net from Theo Walcotts cross in the 23rd minute, showing that goals are the only currency that counts in the Premier League. "We didnt give up and showed real togetherness," Giroud said. While Arsenal has only signed two free agents in the summer transfer window, which closes Monday, Tottenham has spent around 100 million pounds ($155 million) strengthening the squad -- money recouped when Gareth Bale joined Real Madrid on Sunday for 100 million euros ($132 million). "I am not against spending -- I am ready to pay what we can afford, even if it is a bit over the market (value) and as long as it is not crazy," Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said. "I want to add super quality to our squad -- or not (buy). Tottenham got a lot of money for Bale, they have to invest it -- I understand that. The need is different for us, we need one or two super players and we will try to add that. We have 24 more hours, so maybe we can surprise you." Spurs expensive new recruits were frustrated in their route to the net, although goalkeeper Hugo Lloris restricted Arsenal to a single goal after 5-2 losses on the last two visits to the Emirates Stadium. Tottenham, though, hasnt managed to score from open play in three league matches so far, with the opening pair of victories gained through Roberto Soldados penalties. "The fairest result would be a draw bearing in mind what we did in the second half," Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas said. "We put pressure on their goal, but there were not enough clear-cut chances." But Arsenals players, who faced intense criticism after opening the season with a shock home loss, have quickly recovered from collapsing to Aston Villa. The relief was clear on Sunday, with players celebrating on the pitch as if a trophy had been won, and some throwing their shirts into the crowd. Not only have they now won back-to-back Premier League matches, but a place in the lucrative Champions League group stage was secured via thhe playoffs last week.dddddddddddd It was Arsenal which edged out Tottenham to the fourth and final Champions League place on the last day of last season, prompting Spurs extravagant overhaul of its squad and the recruitment of a technical director at White Hart Lane. Yet, the new faces have had to adapt quickly to playing alongside each other, and they still need more time to gel. Such cohesion was missing in the first half in particular at Arsenal. Two free kicks were conceded on the edge of the penalty area alone in the opening five minutes, although Santi Cazorla saw one pushed clear and another was curled wide through the wall. An Arsenal surge down the right flank produced the opener, with Tomas Rosicky releasing Walcott, whose cross was turned in by Giroud past defender Michael Dawson. It was the first time Tottenham had conceded in its five games this season, including a pair of Europa League fixtures. Lloris prevented Arsenal from extending its lead after another dangerous moment down the right saw Aaron Ramsey feed Walcott, only for the England winger to be denied at a tight angle. This was the Gunners at their incisive best, sharper and slicker and enjoying more time on the ball. When Spurs did encroach on the Arsenal goal, the resulting shots were too tame, with Andros Townsend striking low straight at goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny. The resolute hosts avoided being unsettled by a blow just before half time when midfielder Jack Wilshere went off with a stomach bug and was replaced by Mathieu Flamini, who made his first appearance for Arsenal since April 2008 after returning last week. It was a livelier second half from Tottenham, which applied more pressure on the Arsenal defence but Szczesny was never seriously tested. Tottenham experienced its only injury setback when midfielder Etienne Capoue, who joined from Toulouse last month, was carried off on a stretcher after twisting his left fibula. Tottenham was short of luck in front of goal, too. Soldado couldnt find the net for a third successive game and when another new striker, Erik Lamela, came off the bench, he only managed to send a tame strike straight at Szczesny. And Lloris spared Tottenham from a heavier loss by saving from Walcott. ' ' '