"My initial reaction was, yes, I thought it was a penalty but I haven't seen it again, and I may be slightly biased on that," said Howe.
"I had a feeling that he put his arm round his throat and King went down, so I thought it was."
Howe also rejected accusations of a bust-up with Glenn Murray, despite omitting the former Crystal Palace striker from the match squad.
"No, not at all, not at all, I've not fallen out with anybody," said Howe when asked if he and Murray were not seeing eye to eye.
"Every player has to prove they deserve to be involved."